We get to pay for that.

Can we even build these planes anymore? The C-17 was produced by McDonald Douglas, a company that went bankrupt back in '97 and had to be acquired by Boeing. Now Boeing is way behind on orders, because they've outsourced themselves to the hilt in the same way that ruined Douglas.

This isn't just an issue of the fiscal costs. The US literally cannot produce airliners reliably anymore. Boeing is increasingly just booking orders it cannot fulfill. Even if Hegseth just gets a blank check from the Treasury, this equipment isn't going to be replaced any time soon.