30 June 2015 Australia DoD

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, AO, welcomed the first RAAF C-27J Spartan battlefield airlift aircraft in Australia at a ceremony at RAAF Base Richmond today, coinciding with the 90^th anniversary of the base’s establishment.
 
The acquisition of the C-27J Spartan will fill a gap in Australia’s military capability for tactical fixed wing airlift, which has been left open since the retirement of the Caribou fleet in 2009.
 
AIRMSHL Brown said the acquisition of 10 C-27J aircraft, which has been planned since 2012, signifies a $1.4 billion investment in Australia’s airlift capability.
 
“This acquisition represents a commitment to Australia’s air power capability which is a critical element of Australia’s national security and defence strategy,” he said.
 
“The C-27J will strengthen the Australia Defence Force’s air lift capability by increasing our ability to move troops, equipment and supplies.
 
“The aircraft will complement the capabilities of the C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster and will be able to carry medium-sized loads and access smaller runways that are not suited to other aircraft.
 
“This will allow Air Force to support humanitarian missions as well as battlefield airlift in remote locations and unprepared airstrips common in Australia’s region.
 
“Under Plan Jericho, the plan to transform Air Force into a fifth generation fighting force for the information age, the C-27J will operate within an integrated system that is more agile, has an extended reach and gathers and distributes information quicker and more efficiently than ever before.”
 
The C-27J aircraft provides protection from a range of threats through features such as missile warning systems, electronic self protection, secure communications and battlefield armour.
 
Initial Operational Capability for the C-27J fleet is planned for late 2016, with Final Operational Capability expected within the following two years.
 
The fleet of C-27J Spartan aircraft will initially be based at RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales, until their permanent home at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland is completed.

4 septembre, 2014 Frédéric Lert

Le ministère de la défense britannique annonce l’achat par la Lettonie de 123 véhicules blindés de la famille du FV 103 Spartan, pour la modeste somme de 39,4 M£. Le Spartan, créé par Alvis (aujourd’hui intégré dans le giron de BAe Land Systems) a été fabriqué à plus de 3000 exemplaires. C’est un véhicule chenillé léger de transport de troupe, de la classe des 9 tonnes, capable d’emporter jusqu’à cinq combattants armés en plus de son équipage de deux ou trois hommes. Il est entré en service en 1978 au sein de la British Army qui en a utilisé de nombreuses versions (commandement, appui feu, dépannage, anti-char, ambulance… ). Ces véhicules entament donc aujourd’hui une deuxième carrière sur les bords de la Baltique et face à l’ennemi désigné pour lequel ils avaient été conçus, au temps de la première guerre Froide.

Sous les couleurs britanniques, les Spartan ont servi au combat en Irlande du Nord, en Bosnie Herzegovine, en Irak et plus récemment en Afghanistan, avant d’être définitivement retirés du service en 2010. En Afghanistan, les véhicules chenillés avaient été finalement remplacés par les Iveco Panther à roues qui offraient une meilleure protection contre les IED.

25.11.2013 Helen Chachaty journal-aviation.com

C-27J, Spartan ,Alenia Aermacchi, Pérou,

Le ministère péruvien de la Défense a commandé deux avions de transport tactique C-27J Spartan à Alenia Aermacchi.

Le contrat d’une valeur d’environ 100 millions d’euros devrait être signé prochainement, selon l’industriel italien.

La filiale de Finmeccanica indique que le processus de sélection a duré quasiment trois ans.

Les exigences demandées faisaient état de capacités de transport de troupes, de personnels civils, de matériel, de MEDEVAC, d’opérations de largage, de missions de SAR ou encore d’assistance humanitaire, le tout dans des conditions de climat et de terrain comparables à celles de la Cordillère des Andes.

Mar. 14, 2013 - By BRIAN EVERSTINE – Defense News

The congressional mandate for the Air Force to keep 32 additional tactical airlifters will keep a Pennsylvania Reserve base alive and retain 24 more C-130s across all Air Force components.

The 911th Airlift Wing at Pittsburgh, Pa., will retain eight C-130s assigned to the base through 2014, Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., announced Wednesday. The C-130s were originally slated to be cut in fiscal 2013 budget plans. Murphy said in a statement that the decision will affect 1,400 active-duty airmen, reservists, technicians and civilians at the 911th.

The 2013 National Defense Authorization Act created an Intratheater Airlift Working Group to find 32 tactical airlifters to keep through the fiscal year that would be available to assist in the drawdown in Afghanistan. Lt. Gen. Michael Moeller, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, briefed Congress Wednesday on the aircraft the Air Force will keep.

Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said although the NDAA directed the Air Force to keep the additional aircraft, it did not provide additional funding for their operation, meaning the service will need to find the funding by reducing other programs.

Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said recently that the directive to keep additional tactical airlifters would not reverse Air Force plans to cut all C-27J Spartans.

In addition to Pittsburgh, the Air Force will retain two C-130s at the 109th Airlift Wing in Schenectady, N.Y., and the 139th Airlift wing in St. Joseph, Mo. One C-130 will be kept at each of the following: 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, Ky.; 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, W.Va.; 18th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.; 440th Airlift Wing at Pope Field, N.C.; 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio; and 914th Airlift Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y.

The NDAA directed the Air Force to keep 358 total aircraft through fiscal 2013, but the service will keep that limit through 2014 to allow time for additional studies and to address sequestration before the fiscal 2015 budget cycle.

“Although we were required to retain aircraft only through the end of this fiscal year, we extended the aircraft through FY14 to allow time to complete additional analysis and to coordinate with our stakeholders,” Donley said in a release.

For fiscal 2014, the service also will keep eight aircraft that were to be decommissioned from the reserve 934th Airlift Wing at Minneapolis Air Reserve Station. Additionally, the service will retain one aircraft each at Louisville; Charleston; St. Joseph; Niagara Falls; the 136th Airlift Wing in Fort Worth, Texas; the 145th Airlift Wing in Charlotte, N.C.; and the 176th Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

The service said it also will keep additional aircraft to “enhance mission effectiveness.” Those five are at Little Rock, two for the 189th Airlift Wing, two at the 22nd Air Force Detachment 1 and one for the 19th Airlift Wing, along with one each at the 152nd Airlift Wing in Reno, Nev.; the 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah, Ga.; the 166th Airlift Wing in New Castle, Del.; the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Ill.; and the 302nd Airlift Wing in Colorado Springs, Colo.

20 December 2012 Pacific Sentinel

C-27J Spartan (File Photo)

MC-27J aircraft

11 July 2012 airforce-technology.com

Alenia Aermacchi has unveiled a new, armed version of its combat-proven C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter, at the ongoing 2012 Farnborough International Air Show, in the UK.

The newly launched MC-27J airlifter, a roll on/roll off (RO/RO) variant of the C-27J, is designed to assist air and special forces in conducting anti-terrorism operations and evacuation of military personnel and civil populations.

Capable of taking off from and landing on short and/or unprepared strips, the aircraft primarily supports all standard special forces' operations by serving as a platform with quick transfer speed, long operational range and enhanced cargo capacity for the operators, troops and vehicles.

The gunship variant is equipped with the ATK-developed GAU-23 30mm precision weapon kit, which can be employed to fire all types of Nato 30mm x 173 rounds, as well as Super 40 ammunition.

Additional features include a self-contained, modular and scalable palletised weapons system comprising of enhanced electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting sensors, precision guided munitions, advanced communications, a networked mission management and a fire control system, to support a wide range of customer-driven missions.

Designed for easy embarkation and disembarkation through the aircraft's rear ramp, the palletised system permits flexibility in the use of the unaltered aircraft, significantly lowering acquisition costs and development times.

The aircraft is also integrated with a ground command network, to provide the personnel with an intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability, apart from the ability to deploy paratroopers in the battlefield.

To be jointly developed and marketed by Alenia and ATK, the MC-27J features a high level of commonality with the C-130J, together with an operational flexibility to enable deployment even in hot and challenging environmental conditions.

Jun. 6, 2012 by Greg Waldron – FG

Singapore - Australia has entered a A$63 million ($61 million) contract with Italy's Alenia Aermacchi related to the sustainment of its future fleet of 10 L-3/Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft.

"A contract has been signed with Alenia Aermacchi that will allow for the long term operation, maintenance, modification and upgrade of the C-27J aircraft and support systems," Australia's Department of Defence (DoD) said in a statement.

"The contract will also provide Defence with the ability to compete and sub-license third parties, including Australian industry, to provide the maintenance services, training services and the ability to modify the C-27J capability."

A DoD spokesperson told Flightglobal that the contract covers "technical data and intellectual property support not available from any other source."

"[The contract] will assure Defence's ability to independently establish and maintain airworthiness certification, life of type sustainment, future modifications that may be required, and cost-effective through life management of the aircraft and its support systems," the spokesperson said.

In early May Canberra, confirmed it will obtain 10 C-27Js for A$1.4 billion through the US foreign military sales (FMS) mechanism, with US firm L-3 Communications designated as the prime contractor

May 31, 2012 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Alenia Aermacchi; issued May 30, 2012)

Alenia Aermacchi, General Dynamics Canada, Provincial Aerospace, and DRS Canada Announce Letter of Intent to Team on Canadian Fixed-Wing SAR Proposal

OTTAWA, Canada --- Alenia Aermacchi, Alenia Aermacchi North America and Canada, General Dynamics Canada, Provincial Aerospace, and DRS Canada today announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to partner on a proposal for a Canadian Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) solution. The companies are finalizing the terms and conditions of the partnership and will work towards a more definitive agreement in the coming months.

The partnership is being formed in response to the Department of National Defence (DND) plan to acquire a new FWSAR capability to replace the aging fleet of FWSAR aircraft. Selection of the new capability will be conducted through a competitive process, with a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) expected in the fall of 2012, and contractor selection projected for 2014.

Alenia Aermacchi’s C-27J Spartan is the most capable, cost effective, and uncompromising search and rescue aircraft available today. Canada’s requirements make the C-27J the perfect fit for their FWSAR needs. The aircraft can operate in harsh environments and across vast terrains and can provide the speed necessary to reach those in need quickly.

“The search and rescue teams need an aircraft they can count on no matter the conditions or distance. The C-27J is well suited to some of Canada’s harshest terrain where it will often be called into duty. The characteristics that made the C-27J the right solution for ten other national air forces will prove critical in Canada’s selection process as well,” said Alan Calegari, Chief Executive Officer of Alenia Aermacchi North America. “We are looking forward to working with our outstanding Canadian partners on this procurement.”

With Alenia Aermacchi’s C-27J, General Dynamics Canada’s experience in performance-based in-service support on aircraft, and Provincial Aerospace's search and rescue experience and international reputation as a special mission aircraft modification, integration, operations and MRO organization, this team offers Canada the very best aircraft for FWSAR with a strong Canadian presence. The long-term engineering and maintenance support of the fleet, and the resulting long-term, well-paying jobs across the country will make this partnership an outstanding economic stimulus for Canada’s aerospace sector.

“This team represents the best capabilities in Canadian industry, combined with the most capable aircraft in the competition,” says David Ibbetson, General Manager, General Dynamics Canada. “We are excited to be part of such a strong team, supporting Alenia’s C-27J for the FWSAR program. We are committed to providing RCAF air crews and SAR techs with the very best search and rescue capability in the world for decades to come.”

According to Brian Chafe, Provincial Aerospace’s Chief Operating Officer, “Our company has been supporting the Department of National Defence airborne surveillance mandate in Canada's challenging maritime environment for some 25 years. We know the demands of Canada's oceans, Arctic areas and rugged terrain first hand. The C-27J is the right aircraft for the job and the FWSAR procurement will result in an economic enabler with no parallel by creating domestic and international opportunities for companies to become part of Alenia's globalsupply chain.”

Steve Zuber, vice president and general manager of DRS Canada said, “DRS Canada is very excited to be a partner on the Alenia C27J team, and we look forward to expanding our significant presence in Canada into a strong relationship with the Royal Canadian Air Force.” Seasprite technicians, were often operating in challenging conditions. Nevertheless the trials were completed in a thoroughly professional, safe and timely manner.

"There will still be a considerable period of learning as we gain experience operating the aircraft on actual deployments."

Photo: C-27J Team

Jan 26, 2012 By Amy Butler - aviation week and space technology

Washington - U.S. military officials are keen on saying they never intend to fight the last war. This is their way of indicating a focus on future conflicts, not on the past.

Apparently, this sentiment does not apply to the interservice skirmishes at the Pentagon. The U.S. Army and Air Force are in the final throes of hashing out an updated agreement on the time-sensitive, direct-support airlift mission, the latest chapter in a years-long saga over how to ship supplies to remote soldiers despite two wars and one stunted buy of Alenia’s C-27J.

The agreement is being made between the chiefs of staff of both services. At issue is how the time-sensitive airlift mission will be handled; this includes the shuttling of small loads of supplies to forward Army units in the field.

The outcome of this cargo rub between the two services could be the first of many such roles-and-missions scrapes. As the Pentagon looks to save money by killing some programs or nixing new ones, the Army and Air Force are also on a crash course regarding the small fleets of tactical, fixed-wing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft that each have procured since the start of the Iraq invasion in 2003. In the case of the General Atomics Gray Eagle and Reaper UAS, the developmental Enhanced Medium-Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (Emarss) and MC-12W Project Liberty aircraft, the services operate very similar systems. In at least one case—with Emarss and the MC-12W—lawmakers have suggested that only one service manage a unified fleet.

As it did with its rotary-wing fleet, the Army is trying to reduce the number of unique airframes in its tactical ISR fleet, says Maj. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield, who heads up the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala. “We have a plan to divest of some of the different types of aircraft [and shift to] fewer single airframes.” Without saying which aircraft would be let go, Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby, the Army’s program executive officer for aviation, says the service must “pick those that have been the best bang for the buck.”

Though Crosby notes there is still more work to be done on this, the airlift debate is raging.

“The concern is the logistics part,” says Crutchfield. “What we have to sort out is: ‘Who does that?’”

If this sounds familiar, it is.

The last installment of this tug-of-war took place in 2005 when, during his first major speech to the Air Force Association, the then Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, announced he wanted a new light cargo aircraft. This was considered odd as the Army was in the midst of setting up its future cargo aircraft program, which was then crafted to replace old C-23 Sherpas and provide more immediate access to commanders for cargo support. At the time, the Army moved ahead with its own program because it felt that it had lackluster support by the Air Force to properly back its needs.

Underscoring the need for direct-support activities were the ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that called for distributing supplies around small, remote Army outposts. Not only were the Sherpas aging, they lacked pressurized cabins, making it difficult to operate them at high altitude in places such as Afghanistan, says Col. Patrick Tierney, director of the Army’s aviation directorate.

Moseley’s push, along with his similar and later move to take over the Army’s burgeoning UAV force, was seen as an abrupt roles-and-missions grab by the Air Force in the midst of these two wars. In the case of the cargo aircraft role, the USAF won.

At the direction of then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in 2009 the Air Force took over authority for the C-27J buy and control of the direct-support mission; service officials said they would combine the use of C-27Js and C-130s to provide cargo lift for the Army (though Army officials had long complained that C-130 support was inefficient owing to underloading of these larger aircraft).

Army officials say that in actuality, the CH-47 Chinook fleet has been unduly burdened in providing timely support because the helicopters are used to shuttle goods from C-130s that land at hubs to the remote locales where soldiers are stationed.

“The major rub to us is responsiveness and not efficiency,” says one Army official who requests anonymity. “When a part is needed at the front line, it flies” and shouldn’t have to wait for enough requests to fill a C-130, the official adds. “We are more about effectiveness than efficiency, and [the Air Force is] more about efficiency than effectiveness.”

So, the questions now are: What is the right number of small cargo-lifters for the direct-support role, and how should the mission be managed?

Though both branches agreed to USAF control of the mission in the 2009 pact, the Army is now insisting that language be added to clarify its needs—specifically emphasizing responsiveness, especially when parts or supplies are called for at forward-operating locations.

USAF Lt. Gen. Herbert Carlisle, deputy chief of staff for operations, acknowledges what he calls a “natural tension” for Army commanders wanting quick support.

The outcome of this deal will directly impact how soldiers at such sites are supported in Afghanistan.

Army officials had long argued that an Army officer must oversee this mission to ensure that its commanders’ needs take priority; the fear is that the USAF will de-emphasize Army unit requirements against the more strategic priorities of regional cargo movements. USAF, however, has long countered that it best knows how to provide airborne logistics support across a fleet of aircraft, including the C-27J, C-130 and C-17.

In 2009, the Air Force conducted a demonstration of the direct-support mission using C-27Js and C-130s in Iraq; this validated the service’s plans for a mix of the two for the mission.

Two C-27Js were deployed to Afghanistan in late July 2011 and quickly started flying operational direct support missions, Gen. Raymond Johns said last fall. The C-27Js are apportioned to Army officials there via Tacon (tactical control), although USAF pilots fly the missions, but the C-130s are not. This means the C-27Js are specifically set aside only for intratheater/direct-support missions under Army authority. Though C-130s are used for this mission, they can be reassigned elsewhere in the area, if needed, Johns said.

Army officials are less than satisfied with the Air Force’s delays in delivering C-27Js to the field. At least six were to be in Afghanistan by now, and why they have not been deployed is the “golden question,” the anonymous Army official said.

One industry official says the Army is “trying to hold the Air Force’s feet to the fire to do what they signed up for” in the 2009 pact.

Alenia has delivered 13 of 21 C-27Js on contract. Originally, Alenia officials projected the U.S. market for the C-27J (including Army/Air Force buys) to support as many as 125 aircraft. Tierney said that in 2005, the Army’s projections set a low risk of handling the mission with a fleet of 78 C-27Js and a moderate risk at 54. When Gates shifted the C-27J program from Army control to the Air Force, the buy shrank to 38 aircraft.

The sharp reduction in procurement numbers prompted Alenia to scrap its plans to open a final assembly facility in Florida; the aircraft are being delivered from a plant in Italy.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz indicated during a recent testimony to Congress that the C-27J faces termination—possibly before all 38 are delivered—due to fiscal pressure. Service officials contend that maintaining a separate fleet for this mission adds to its spending for unique training and logistics, whereas a C-130-based mission could build off of an existing infrastructure. It is unclear whether the service would keep the C-27Js already delivered or divest of them entirely.

Numerous lawmakers and governors associated with states slated to host C-27J Guard units have written to Schwartz, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter advocating the program. Some of them argue not only for the national security advantages of the aircraft but also note that without those units, jobs in their districts will be in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, Crutchfield notes that the Army’s C-23 Sherpas still support war operations. Without better direct support from USAF, the Army would have to pay $350 million to keep old C-23s operating, and they would still lack a pressurized cabin, Tierney says. Carlislie expects the updated pact to be signed in days.

Photo Alenia Aeronautica

20/09/11 By Craig Hoyle SOURCE:Flight International

Mexico's first newly-acquired Alenia Aeronautica C-27J has made its public debut at an event to commemorate the nation's independence.

Sporting a white colour scheme, the tactical transport was accompanied by one of the Italian manufacturer's own C-27J Spartans during the 16 September flight over Mexico City.

Acquired under a roughly $200 million contract signed in July, the aircraft is the first of four C27Js that will be delivered to Mexico by late 2012.

Alenia Aeronautica expects the nation's air force to operate the type for tasks including troop and equipment transport, medical evacuation, search and rescue amnd humanitarian assistance missions.

July 6, 2011 defpro.com

Rome | Finmeccanica, through its operating company Alenia Aeronautica, signed a contract worth approximately USD 200 million with Mexico to supply four tactical transport aircraft C-27J.

The contract was signed at the headquarters of SEDENA (Secreteria della Defensa Nacional) in Mexico City, in the presence of General Augusto Moisés Garcìa Ochoa, Director General de Administración de SEDENA, General Leonardo Gonzàlez Garcìa, Comandante de la Fuerza Aérea Mexicana, and Mr. Giuseppe Giordo, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica.

The first aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2011 and the whole supply will be completed by the end of 2012. The contract envisages also the logistics support for the entire fleet through the supply of spare parts and GSE (Ground Support Equipment).

Thanks to this contract, the number of airplanes ordered to date rises to 83, confirming the C-27J as best seller among the aircraft of its category. The C-27J has been ordered by the air forces of Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Morocco and by the US. Air Force.

The C-27J Spartan tactical military cargo aircraft. (Photo: Alenia Aeronautica)

May 6, 2011defpro.com

AERO Vodochody delivered at a small ceremony the 30th complete center wing box for the C-27J Spartan tactical military cargo aircraft at the presence of the top representatives from the Italian company Alenia Aeronautica.

AERO Vodochody participates in the production of the C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft since 2006 and manufactures the complete center wing box ready for installation on the aircraft. AERO Vodochody is the only manufacturer and supplier of this key construction unit for the aircraft C-27J Spartan.

The C-27J Spartan is tactical military cargo aircraft, featuring great operation flexibility and low operation costs. The aircraft is used for a wide range of missions from cargo transportation to logistic support of military units and airborne unit transportation as well as for special services, e.g. naval and electronic surveillance, search and rescue operations, firefighting, etc. Its military unit transportation version offers transportation capacity of 62 soldiers or 42 paratroopers, while the cargo version can carry a load of up to 11,500 kg, two APCs, three howitzers, a middle-sized helicopter or various cargo on standard pallets.

The C-27J serves the militaries in Italy, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Morocco and the USA. In 2007, the C-27J Spartan won a US government tender for the Joint Cargo Aircraft for the US Armed Forces. Under the contract, a total of 38 C-27J Spartans will be delivered to the US Army and US Air Force by the year 2013.