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By David Pugliese

Defence Watch

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The Royal Canadian Air Force is looking to add another C-17 strategic transport aircraft to its flight-line.

The move to buy another Globemaster has been underway for several months now and has the support of the Conservative government, sources told Defence Watch.

CTV News is reporting on the deal, noting that the price tag for transport plane will be $1.7 billion.

Yikes….that must be a special price for Canada. In 2010 Boeing sold eight C-17s to the USAF under a $1.5 billion (U.S.) Other articles have noted that each C-17 costs between $170 million and $218 million so it’s unclear where CTV is getting its numbers from (maybe total life cost plus maintenance?).

In its reporting, CTV is also noting that the purchase comes as opposition MPs are criticizing the Harper government for failing to spend adequate money on wounded veterans.

Sources told CTV News that the Department of National Defence is purchasing the C-17 with unused money in its budget that must be spent by the end of the fiscal year.