 Today, the Pacific Air Force's aerial demonstration team will be showcasing America's premier airlifter, the C-17 Globemaster III. The C-17 made its first test flight in September of 1991, since then this incredible aircraft has set over 30 world records, including payload to altitude, time to climb, and the longest range airdrop mission in history. Designed by an elite team of NASA and McDonald's Douglas engineers, the C-17 blends raw power, maneuverability, and unsurpassed heavy lift into remote airfields around the world. The C-17 is capable of moving over 170,000 pounds of cargo in 18 pilot positions. It can easily move 10 Humvees, two Apache helicopters, or an entire M1 Abrams main battle tank and its support equipment. With air-to-air refueling, a squadron of C-17s can put an entire battalion anywhere in the world in less than 24 hours. Wand of the C-17's cornerstone capabilities is the delivery of outsized cargo into small, remote airfields. The Globemaster has 12 massive disc brakes, and an entire redundant hydraulic system slowly for those brakes. Each one of the C-17's mighty engines is fit with a thrust reversing system. These reversers allow for rapid descent from altitude, and allow the aircraft to further slow itself upon landing. From landing, you'll know how each engine opens and extends seamlessly to reverse the flow of air. Ladies and gentlemen, slanting will occur in just over 1,000 feet, shorter than the length of an aircraft carrier. There is no other aircraft in the world that can perform this maneuver. All the maneuvers you have seen here today are examples of those flown by our operational air crew on a regular basis all over the world. Coupled with the aircraft's directed lift capability, these systems allow the C-17 to safely land on short, dirt, ice, or even sand airfields. At air refueling and full night vision goggle integration, the C-17 can deliver American democracy anywhere, anytime.