A $203 million order of seven additional C-27J JCA aircraft by the JCA Joint Program Office has been booked. The order brings the current contract total to 13 aircraft. L-3 leads an industry team that includes aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aeronautica, Rolls Royce, Honeywell and Dowty.

The C-27J is a mid-range, multifunctional and interoperable aircraft able to perform logistical re-supply, MEDEVAC, troop movement, airdrop operations, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and homeland security missions for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The C-27J will replace the U.S. Army’s C-23 Sherpa and portions of the US Army’s C-12 and C-26 fleet. The C-27J will augment the U.S. Air Force’s existing fleet of intra-theater airlifters. The aircraft will play a key role in providing responsive aerial sustainment and critical re-supply support for the maneuver force.

The C-27J Spartan has been in production in Italy since 2001, and has been delivered to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Lithuania. It has also been ordered by Romania and Morocco. The C-27J Spartan has been most recently selected by Slovakia with contract negotiations underway. Orders to-date, follow-on contracts, as well as international, foreign military and variant sales are expected to extend orders for the C-27J to more than 200 aircraft.

“We are very happy with the team’s performance and progress on the program,” said James Burkhardt, president of L-3’s Platform Integration division.

“This latest order reflects the confidence that the U.S. government has in our abilities to continue to perform at the highest levels,” said Giuseppe Giordo, president and chief executive officer of Alenia North America and co-chief operating officer of aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aeronautica. “Our team’s intense focus on delivering on our commitments remains absolutely critical as we continue to meet the needs of our customers worldwide.”

With the first two C-27J aircraft delivered and crew training under way, the program continues to progress on schedule and on budget. Following the on-time delivery of the first aircraft in 2008, the first C-27J JCA training class commenced in November 2008, preparing pilots and loadmasters to perform multiple mission roles and serve as instructors.

FMI: www.L-3com.com