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C-27J Spartan | |
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Role | Military transport aircraft |
National origin | Italy |
Manufacturer | Alenia Aeronautica |
Introduction | October 2006 Italy |
Status | In production, in service |
Primary users | Italian Air Force United States Air Force Hellenic Air Force See Operators below for others |
Produced | 1997-Present |
Number built | 52[citation needed] |
Unit cost | US$53.3 million (2012)[1] |
Developed from | Aeritalia G.222 |
The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a medium-sized military transport aircraft. The C-27J is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's G.222 (C-27A Spartan in U.S. service), with the engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. The aircraft was selected as the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) for the United States military.
The C-27J has also been ordered by the military air units of Australia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco and Romania.
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In 1995, Alenia and Lockheed Martin began discussions to improve Alenia's G.222 using C-130J's glass cockpit and a more powerful version of the G.222's T64G engine and four-blade propellers. The companies began a program for the improved G.222, named C-27J in 1996. This was a U.S. military type designation based on the G.222's C-27A U.S. designation. Then the design was changed to use the C-130J Super Hercules's Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engine and six-blade propeller. Alenia and Lockheed Martin formed Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems (LMATTS) for the development of C-27J in 1997.[2] The C-27J has a 35% increase in range and a 15% faster cruise speed than the G.222.[2]
By 2005, the U.S. Army had identified the need to replace its aging C-23 Sherpa lifter. The Sherpa's performance was inadequate in the hot, high terrain of Southwest Asia. In lieu of adequate fixed-wing airlift availability, the U.S. Army's CH-47 helicopter fleet was being worked hard to fill the "last tactical mile" transporting supplies to forward located troops. The C-27J as intended by the U.S. Army to give "Direct Support" capability, and reduce the stress on their CH-47 fleet.[3]
The LMATTS joint venture was later dissolved when Lockheed Martin chose to offer the C-130J in 2006 as a contender in the same U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) competition in which the C-27J was competing.[4] Alenia Aeronautica then paired with L-3 Communications to form the Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) joint venture to market the C-27J.[5] Boeing later joined Alenia and L-3 Communications as a GMAS team member.[6]
The GMAS team bid the C-27J in the Joint Cargo Aircraft competition against Raytheon and EADS North America's C-295. Both the U.S. Army and Air Force JCA orders combined are expected to top 100 aircraft. The JCA will eventually replace the existing Short C-23 Sherpa, Beechcraft C-12 Huron and Fairchild C-26 Metroliners in the Army National Guard, and will become a substitute tactical airlift platform for those Air National Guard airlift groups or airlift wings losing C-130 aircraft to retirement or Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action redistribution of aircraft (C-130H/C-130J).[7][8] The C-27J completed the U.S. Department of Defense's Early User Survey evaluations by November 2006, flying 26 hours and surpassing all the JCA program requirements. The GMAS team also announced that the C-27J will be assembled at a facility at Cecil Field, Duval County, Florida.[9]
While the final selection of the JCA was expected to be announced in March 2007, the decision came on 13 June 2007, when the Pentagon selected the C-27J as its Joint Cargo Aircraft.[8] A contract worth US$2.04 billion was awarded to the L-3 Communications team for 78 C-27Js along with training and support on 13 June 2007.[10] At this time, the U.S. Army had requirement for up to 75 aircraft in the Army National Guard; the Air Force had a requirement for up to 70 aircraft in the Air Force Special Operations Command and the Air National Guard.[8]
On 22 June 2007, Raytheon formally protested the award of the JCA contract to the Alenia C-27J.[11] On 27 September 2007, the GAO announced that it had denied Raytheon’s protest, thereby allowing the Pentagon to go ahead with the C-27J procurement.[12] Prior to Raytheon's protest, the first C-27J aircraft were to begin delivery to the joint U.S. Army-Air Force test and training program in June 2008.[13] The first flight of a U.S. C-27J occurred on 17 June 2008.[14]
Romania ordered seven C-27Js for delivery from 2008 to replace Antonov An-24 and Antonov An-26 aircraft, beating the EADS CASA C-295.[15] However, the order was blocked by the government in February 2007 upon a legal challenge filed by EADS.[16] In June 2007, the order was confirmed again when the Romanian court rejected EADS' complaint.[17] The Romanian government officially signed the contract for the delivery of seven C-27Js on 7 December 2007,[18] with the first two Spartans delivered on 12 April 2010.[19]
As of 2011[update], orders stand at Italy (12), Greece (12), Bulgaria (3), Lithuania (3), Morocco (4), Romania (7), Mexico (4) and United States (38).[18][20][21][22]
Italy received its first C-27J in October 2006.[23] The Italian Air Force deployed two C-27Js to Afghanistan from 12 September 2008 to 27 January 2009 in support NATO airlift operations.[24][25]
In March 2011, the Bulgarian Air Force received its last of three C-27Js ordered. Bulgaria had initially ordered five in 2006, but reduced its order in 2010.[26][27][28]
The United States received its first C-27J on 25 September 2008.[29] In September 2008, the C-27J Schoolhouse, operated by L-3 Link, officially began classes at the Georgia Army National Guard Flight Facility, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. By April 2009, the U.S. Army had accepted deliveries of two aircraft and had 11 more on order.[30] A proposal in May 2009 that the U.S. Army/Army National Guard relinquish all of its aircraft to the U.S. Air Force, primarily the Air National Guard, with a reduction of the total buy to 38 aircraft,[31] led the DoD to give total control of the US's C-27Js to the USAF in December.[22]
Although the initial plan was for the C-27J to be operated by the Air National Guard for direct support of the United States Army, that changed to both Army National Guard and Air National Guard flight crews to support the fielding of the aircraft. The U.S. Air National Guard had received four C-27Js by July 2010 and began using them for testing and training. Purchase of 38 Spartans is anticipated with initial operational capability expected in October 2010.[32] The U.S. Air Force had planned the C-27J's first combat deployment for summer 2011.[33]
In August 2011, two C-27J aircraft flown by Air National Guard personnel with Army National Guard personnel began operations at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan.[34][35][36] From August to December 2011, the C-27Js of the 179th Airlift Wing transported some 400 tons of cargo, and over 6,900 passengers in more than 900 missions.[3] By exercising tactical control of the C-27Js, the U.S. Army was able to employ helicopters in a much more efficient fashion, splitting missions between the two platforms to make best use of the strengths of each.[37]
The U.S. Army had indicated that a fleet of 54 aircraft posed a moderate risk to mission fulfillment in 2005; the USAF has moved to cancel the program entirely in 2012.[38] On 26 January 2012, the U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to remove all 38 C-27Js on order from the U.S. Air Force's inventory as their niche capabilities are too expensive.[39] The C-27J's duties are to be taken by the U.S. Air Force's C-130s.[40] In February 2012, Alenia warned that it would not provide support for C-27Js resold by the United States.[41] In March 2012, it was reported that the U.S. Coast Guard is considering taking over the aircraft from the U.S. Air Force.[42] On 23 March 2012, the U.S. Air Force announced that it will cut the C-27J from its inventory in fiscal year 2013 after determining that its per-aircraft lifecycle costs are higher than those of C-130 aircraft performing the same combat resupply mission.[43][44]
As of April 2012[update], the USAF is continuing to shut down the program, in anticipation that Congress will support its budget request to do so.[45]
The Royal Australian Air Force has made a Foreign Military Sales request for 10 C-27Js light air lifters valued up to US$950m to replace its retired DHC-4 Caribou fleet.[46][47] One advantage identified by the RAAF over the rival C-295, is the C-27J's wider and taller cabin that makes it compatible with the Australian Army's general purpose G-Wagon vehicle[48] and palletized goods.[49]
The C-27J was being considered as a sole-source contract by the Government of Canada as a future replacement for its current search and rescue air fleet; this contract was worth approximately C$3 billion in January 2007.[50]
The Indian Air Force has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for 16 medium military transport aircraft. Alenia Aeronautica responded with information about the C-27J Spartan.[51]
The Peruvian Air Force is in evaluations to replace their Antonov An-32, and the C-27J along with the EADS CASA C-295 are the contenders for the program acquisition.[citation needed]
On 21 August 2009, Taiwan announced that it had entered price negotiations with Alenia Aeronautica for the sale of six C-27J Spartan aircraft.[52] The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ghana of four C-27Js on 9 September 2009.[53]
Indonesia is considering the purchase of the C-27J.[54] Slovakia's air force has selected the C-27J and is negotiating an order for at least two aircraft.[55] The Royal Thai Air Force plans to upgrade its three G.222s to C-27J standard.[citation needed]
The AC-27J was a proposed gunship version of the C-27J. The U.S. Air Force shifted US$32 million from the Pentagon's 2008 budget to purchase a C-27J for the U.S. Air Force Air Force Special Operations Command, to fulfill the requirements that AFSOC had defined under the AC-XX concept that it envisioned as a replacement for the aging and extensively used AC-130s.[56] The AC-27J was to be equipped using proven hardware and systems to reduce risk.[56][57][58] AFSOC planned to acquire 16 aircraft, the first in fiscal 2011, with two additional gunships to be purchased each year from 2012 to 2015.
The AC-27J was planned as a multi-mission platform, equipped with full-motion video cameras and capable of covert infil/exfil as well as armed support from above, armed with either a 30-millimeter or 40-millimeter gun and the stand-off, precision-guided munitions like the Northrop Grumman-built Viper Strike bomb.[59]
At the Air Force Association's 2008 conference, it was reported that the AC-27J variant would be named "Stinger II" after the AC-119K Stinger.[56][60] C-27A 90-0170 (c/n 4097) was removed from storage at AMARC in October 2008 and delivered to Eglin AFB, Florida, for use by the Air Force Research Laboratory to test the feasibility of mounting of 30 mm and 40 mm guns. The fully assembled airframe was at the Eglin main base by December 2008.[61]
The gunship program was put on hold in May 2009 because U.S. Army funding for 40 C-27s in an Army-Air Force cooperative purchase had been removed from the fiscal 2010 budget.[62] U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command will remain with the C-130 for solutions to its stated need for gunships.[63][64]
Data from Alenia Aeronautica,[72] C-27J facts[73]
General characteristics
Performance
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