The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)

Third C-27J for the Italian Air Force

On July 10, 2007, Italian Air Force has accepted its third C-27J Spartan transport aircraft. Before the end of 2007, IAF’s 46th Air Brigade - based at Pisa/San Giusto airport - will have seven Spartans in service. A Total of twelve C-27Js has been ordered by the IAF.

Todate eight Spartans have been delivered to the Hellenic Air Force (HAF), three to IAF and one to Lithuanian Air Force (LITAF). They have totalled 1,800 flights, including those spent in demanding LITAF missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The C-27J delivery programme, in the coming months, includes 2 aircraft in September (1 each to HAF and IAF), the first C-27J to Bulgaria in October, the fifth Spartan to IAF in November and two more IAF aircraft in December. Alenia Aeronautica anticipates a total of 18 C-27J Spartans in service at the end of 2007.

Todate, Spartan has a total backlog of 110 aircraft from six Air Forces: Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Lithuania, U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. Romania should be close to sign a contract for seven aircraft, and talks are under way with many other countries.

In the picture: Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan 46-82/C.S.X 62218 (N.C. 4130), third of the type for the IAF (2007). (Aeromedia)

(Aeromedia, July 2007)