Hopes To Build Aircraft If Raytheon/EADS-CASA Wins Contract

The US military is moving ahead with its plans to replace a large number of its C-23 Sherpas, as well as augment its aging fleet of C-130 Hercules, with a new short-range plane known as the Joint Cargo Aircraft. Last week, the Defense Department opened a competition to build the light cargo aircraft for the Army and the Air Force.

Well, if it's true that all interest is self-interest, then folks in Mobile, AL are watching these developments with great interest. That's because EADS-CASA -- along with its partner on the JCA, Raytheon -- has shown great interest in them.

Should it receive the Pentagon contract to build the JCA, the Raytheon-CASA team will likely build those planes at Mobile International Airport. Experts figure Raytheon and CASA will submit a variation of either the CASA CN-235 (below) or the somewhat bigger CN-295.

"The (request for proposals) doesn't eliminate either of our aircraft. We'll have to take a closer look at the requirements before we make a final decision on an offering," said Jim Hvizd, Raytheon's VP for Team Joint Cargo Aircraft, to the Mobile Register.

Hvizd added that Raytheon was not ready to officially announce a location for the assembly plant -- despite the fact EADS-CASA said last year it intended to assemble the planes in Mobile, expanding its current 30-man aircraft maintenance facility in Mobile to handle the workload

"We'll make a formal announcement about that very soon," Hvizd said.

Another team, led by L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and Italian aircraft manufacturer Finmeccanica SpA, is also expected to present a variant of the Alenia C-27J (below) for the JCA.

Just like those in Mobile, ANN will be watching this story... with great interest.

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