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View Full Version : C-27 Spartan wins JCA Competition?


ORAC
14th Jun 2007, 14:11
DID: Joint Cargo Aircraft: We Have a Winner (http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/06/joint-cargo-aircraft-we-have-a-winner/index.php#more)

DID's coverage of the WALRUS super-heavy cargo airship's cancellation noted complaints from combat commanders that C-130s were not able to get equipment close enough to the front lines due to short airfield restrictions. Delays in buying a small cargo aircraft to fill that role, replace aging C-23 Sherpas et. al., and ferry troops, supplies, and/or small vehicles within a theater of operations were making that problem worse. "The JCA Program: Key West Sabotage?" looked at the different levels of urgency and priority in the US Army and US Air Force and the resulting Congressional SNAFUs, and covered program developments.

The finalists were a familiar duo. EADS-CASA partnered with Raytheon; their C-295M has a longer fuselage for more cargo pallets, comes with a nifty pallet loading system, and is cheaper to maintain and fly, but lacks the internal dimensions and/or floor strength required for tactical loads like Humvees, small helicopters, et. al. Wins include Spain, Algeria, Brazil, Finland, Jordan, Poland, and Portugal.

Alenia, meanwhile, partnered with L-3 Communications and Boeing to offer the C-27J Spartan, aka. "Baby Herc" due to its profile, engine, and avionics commonality with the C-130J Hercules. EADS-CASA claims the C-27J's fuel and maintenance needs give it operational costs that are over 50% more expensive than the C-295's, but C-130J commonality may bring those numbers down slightly and the C-27J's internal dimensions and floor strength give it the flexibility to carry light tactical loads. Wins include Italy, Greece (who had some issues but appears to have resolved them), Bulgaria, Lithuania, and Romania.

Surprisingly, word was that the US Army wanted the C-295 despite its tactical limitations, and the USAF wanted the C-27J despite is operating and maintenance costs. The decision was expected in March 2007, but it seems we now have a winner......

If the rumors are true, the USAF got its way - and the Army got more tactical flexibility. The GMAS team's C-27J "Baby Herc" will replace the U.S. Army's C-23 Sherpas, C-12 (based on the Beechcraft King Air twin turboprop) and C-26 Metroliner (based on the Fairchild Metro 23 twin turboprop) aircraft, and augment the U.S. Air Forces' aging and partly-grounded fleet of C-130E/H intratheater airlifters. In practice, it will also replace a number missions that are currently being executed using very expensive to operate CH-47 helicopters as in-theater supply aircraft.

The new Joint Cargo Aircraft will be in high demand from the first day they're delivered. The USAF has been making extensive use of intra-theater transports, and even C-17s with their short-field landing capabilities, in order to reduce the number of road supply convoys in Iraq. Meanwhile, state National Guard forces, who have seen their air transport assets dwindle and C-130s based elsewhere in realignments, or just not flyable, will be clamoring to host C-27Js, whose short-field landing capabilities will be very welcome in the disaster relief role....

DefenseNews: C-27J Tapped for U.S. Joint Cargo Aircraft (http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=2831534&C=america)

The Pentagon gave the go-ahead late June 13 for the U.S. Army and Air Force to award the $2 billion Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) contract to the C-27J Spartan team of L-3 Communications Holdings, Boeing and Alenia North America, a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica. The Italian airframe beat out the smaller C-295, offered by Raytheon and EADS. Lockheed Martin pulled the already-in-service C-130J out of the competition last year.

The services received approval to buy 78 planes over the next six years, with 54 going to the Army and 24 to the Air Force. Also approved June 13 was funding to cover the first round of low-rate initial production, which is expected to deliver 13 planes.

Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Mundt, director of Army aviation, declined to speculate on the total number of JCAs that will ultimately be purchased.
“But I would be very, very surprised if the number turned out to be less than 145,” he said.

Analysts had recently predicted a purchase of about 75 planes for the Army and 70 for the Air Force.

“The numbers again may change,” said Maj. Gen. Marshall “Keye” Sabol, operational capability requirements director for the Air Force. “The world is changing. The Army is changing. We have a new command coming up in Africa.”

The Army will field the first Spartan unit, which is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2010....

reacher
14th Jun 2007, 14:16
Well that just about confirms that the RAAF will get it as well, that is if it already hasn't been decided.