Pentagon Has Cut Three From This Year's Production

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called for a production run of only eight C-27J Spartan Joint Cargo Aircraft in the coming fiscal year, down from an original plan for 11 of the planes. The announcement has caused National Guard Units across the country to call for more of the planes to be built.

If successful, the aircraft eventually could be assembled at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, practically in ANN's back yard.

In a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, 53 adjutants general urged the leadership the committees to reject the DoD eleventh-hour decision to slash the JCA program and to terminate it as a joint program.  “The JCA cuts as reported would have a devastating impact on the National Guard and weaken our national and homeland defense,” said the letter, according to The Florida Times-Union.

National Guard Units will use the Spartan for Homeland Security missions including disaster relief. Their STOL capabilities make it an ideal aircraft for that purpose, as well as the so-called "last tactical mile" missions getting necessary supplies to troops in remote areas of places like Afghanistan.

The Spartan is currently being assembled in an Italian facility by Alenia Aeronautica, which has said it intended to open a plant at Jacksonville's Cecil Field if production numbers warranted the move. The Pentagons' announced cuts put that facility on hold. Jacksonville Aviation Authority Spokesman Michael Stewart called the National Guard letter an encouraging sign, but said getting the facility up and running would take time.

FMI: www.ngaus.org