The two contracted-for YC-15 aircraft arrived in prototype form in 1975 with a first-flight recorded on August 26th, 1975 (the second prototype went into the air for the first time before year's end). Both aircraft were ahead of the competing Boeing design which did not make it airborne until the following year and the formal competition between the two began in late 1976.
Because of the changing requirements of the USAF, the AMST program suffered despite the progress being shown. Authorities eventually settled on continued support of the C-130 product for the foreseeable future and renewed a commitment to expanding the strategic transport capabilities of the USAF and this allowed the Hercules aircraft to see an extended service life that continues even today (2018).
The AMST program was ended in December of 1979 with no winner selected but the "C-X" program was drawn up in its place to now find a strategic-minded airlifter - this eventually led to a dimensionally larger version of the McDonnell Douglas YC-15 being built and flown - influencing what would become the swept-wing Boeing C-17 "Globemaster III" transport still to come. The C-17 entered service in 1995 and remains active today (2018) with nearly 300 units built. McDonnell Douglas eventually became a subsidiary of the Boeing Company brand, hence the C-17's official product name.
As built, the YC-15 utilized an operating crew of three. It held a capacity to ferry up to 150 combat-ready troops or up to 78,000lb of cargo. Dimensions included a length of 124.2 feet with a wingspan of 110.3 feet and a height of 43.2 feet. Empty weight was 105,000lb against an MTOW of 216,680lb. Performance specs included a maximum speed of 590 miles per hour with a cruising speed of 543mph, a range out to 3,000 miles and a service ceiling up to 30,000 feet.
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