The Air Force's troubled C-17 jet transport has failed its initial operational tests so badly that if the airplane were in service today, it could not parachute troops or supplies into Bosnia or be maintained by Air Force personnel.

The test official, Robert Duncan, said in his report that if major deficiencies in aircraft performance are not fixed, the C-17 will be unable to meet Air Force requirements.

McDonnell Douglas Corp. delivered the first C-17 to the Air Force in mid-1992 with 98 pages of waivers, exemptions and deviations from the contract specifications. It was missing such items as urinals and wingtip navigation lights.