The C-17 Globemaster is a military beast of burden.
A recent addition to the US air force's ranks this plane is designed to carry troops and equipment rapidly to forward bases. It can even carry out airlifts in combat zones - should the need arise.
This aircraft's role is to help project American military might anywhere in the world and it has therefore been given a global reach.
It has been used to fly the much publicised humanitarian missions over Afghanistan where it dropped food parcels.
It can carry around 170,900 lbs (77,000 kg) of cargo. This translates into about 100 troops and their equipment. It can also carry most military vehicles, and can drop paratroops while airborne.
As befits a utility vehicle the C-17 has been built to be reliable and low maintenance.
It can work from short and relatively badly maintained airstrips and has a complete crew of three: the pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster.
The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,000 ft (914m) and only 90 ft wide (27.4m).
It is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines - the commercial version is currently used on the Boeing 757.
The US will eventually have around 120 of these aircraft with the last ones coming into service in about 2004.
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