Touts Early Delivery, Established History

Aero-News learned Friday the Team JCA partnership, led by Raytheon and EADS CASA North America, submitted its final proposal revision (FPR) to the US Army and Air Force for the Joint Cargo Aircraft program January 30, beating the deadline by one day.

"Our early delivery and final proposal enhancements are the latest examples of our continuing commitment to provide the Army and Air Force the world's best intratheater lift capability right now," said Jim Hvizd, Team JCA vice president. "The C-295 aircraft we propose has proven itself through ongoing operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and humanitarian missions worldwide. We're thrilled to be able to offer this battle-tested aircraft to our US warfighters."

The FPR is the final proposal submission for the JCA program. The bid is centered on the C-295 military transport aircraft, which Team JCA says demonstrated its capability to perform the full range of required missions during the Early User Survey phase in late 2006.

As Aero-News reported, the Joint Cargo Aircraft contract calls for a plane to provide intra-theater cargo-lift capability for deployed forces operating in challenging environments such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army wants the new planes to replace the C-23 Sherpa, C-12 and other small cargo aircraft used by the Army to deliver small amounts of cargo to military hot spots with unpaved or rough airstrips. The Air Force plans to use some of the new planes as well.

Team JCA says its production and logistics network will enable the Army to receive the first aircraft within a year of contract award.

"That means the C-295 can be in commanders' hands sooner to support combat operations, humanitarian missions and potential homeland security and disaster relief contingencies," Hvizd said.

In military service with coalition partners around the world, the C-295 is the only combat-proven aircraft competing for the program and the only one certified by military authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration.

The C-295 is completing its seventh year of JCA-type missions with the armed services of Spain, Poland, Algeria and Jordan and is in production for Brazil, Portugal and Finland. It also has won formal competitions in Australia, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. Team JCA notes the C-295 has flown over one million flights on missions similar to the JCA requirements.

A team comprised by L-3 Communications Integrated Systems Group, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications, Alenia North America, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, and Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) is offering the C-27J as an alternative to the JCA contract.

FMI: www.us-c295.com/military_transport.html