C-17 modification marks partnership Published May 6, 2003 By Faye Williams Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- A ceremony May 1 celebrated the first C-17 Globemaster III to go through the Global Reach Improvement Program here.Lt. Gen. Charles Coolidge, Air Force Materiel Command vice commander, received the symbolic hand off of the Air Force Form 981, returning the aircraft to Air Mobility Command at the ceremony.Coolidge then passed the aircraft to Capt. John Holani, the aircraft commander, to return the plane to its home station.The transfer signaled a significant step forward for the public-private partnership between the Boeing Company and the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center here. The center already performs scheduled analytical condition inspections on C-17s. GRIP is an annual modification and modernization plan.The increased GRIP workload was brought to Robins and middle Georgia as a result of the sustainment partnership between the U.S. Air Force, the center and Boeing. Before the agreement, all major aircraft enhancements and new systems installations that were accomplished during GRIP occurred at Boeing Aerospace Support Center in San Antonio.During the aircraft's three-month stay here, it underwent 10,000 labor-hours of maintenance. The aircraft received Block-12 upgrades including global air traffic management, electronic-engine control and Block-12 avionics."I am not at all surprised at the superb teamwork it took to get this first modification aircraft back to the warfighter on time," said Maj. Gen. Donald Wetekam, WR-ALC commander. "The C-17 is a vital air mobility asset that is heavily tasked today.”Coolidge said the Air Force-Boeing partnership will deliver a quality product to the warfighter at the lowest possible cost.