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Product Type: |
Light Cargo Tactical Airlift Aircraft |
Using Service (US): |
Air Force (USAF) |
Program Status: |
Cancelled by the DoD in FY2012 |
Prime Contractors: |
Airframe: Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica) |
The Alenia C-27J Spartan aka the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) is a twin-engine, light cargo, fixed-wing
tactical airlift aircraft designed to provide intra-theater airlift.
The aircraft was developed from the Alenia G.222 military transport aircraft (U.S. designation C-27A Spartan).
The Spartan is powered by two Rolls-Royce AE 2100-D2A turboprop engines, each delivering 4,637 shp.
The C-27J can operate from short and rough airstrips in remote areas, without external
support thanks to the internal auxiliary power
unit that also allows in-light engine restarts.
The built-in cargo handling system, adjustable landing gear controlling cargo loor height
and inclination and power-steered nose wheel
speed ground operations and minimize risks in
hostile areas.
The C-27J is versatile, simple and effective. It offers the largest cargo hold in its weight-class
and features a wide fuselage cross-section that accommodates military vehicles.
The Spartan can carry payloads of up to 25,353 pounds, or 60 combat-equipped troops,
46 paratroopers, or 36 stretchers + 6 medical attendants.
Special mission variants are easily accommodated. The Spartan is excellent at delivering
large military loads, such as aircraft engines, HMMWVs and howitzers, to remote locations where only
jeeps could otherwise operate. A single loadmaster can reconfigure the C-27J unassisted in as little as 10 minutes,
allowing the aircraft to perform many different missions on the same day. The Spartan will deploy up to 70%
of the equipment of the typical airborne division. The floor of the C-27J is stronger than on the
C-130 Hercules
and the full-size fuselage doors and rear ramp makes the aircraft ideal for paratroop/supply airdrops.
The glass cockpit minimizes pilot workload and increases situational awareness. The cockpit design makes the C-27
NVIS/NVG compatible and can easily fitted with head-up displays.
The integrated MIL-1553B digital avionics architecture uses off-the-shelf equipment and has excellent growth potential.
A comprehensive self-protection package and an in-flight refueling system are also available.
Notable companies involved in manufacturing the C-27J are Alenia Aeronautica (Airframe and Electronic Systems),
L-3 Communications (Prime Systems Integrator),
Honeywell (Avionics System Design, FMS, and CNS/ATM), Northrop Grumman (AN/APN-241 Digital Mapping Radar), Rolls-Royce (AE 2100 Engines and FADEC) and Dowty (R-391 all composite six-blade propellers).
In November 2012, a C-27J Spartan aircraft from Mississippi Air National Guard's 186th Air Refueling Wing,
transported ground equipment and personnel to New York in support of Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
The U.S. C-27J acquisition program began in FY 2007 as an Army-led joint program to acquire an aircraft
capable of providing direct support airlift of time sensitive and mission critical cargo
to Army ground forces. A joint Army-Air Force source selection team chose the C-27J to provide this capability,
and the Army awarded an aircraft production and support contract to L-3 Communications in June 2007.
The aircraft meets the U.S. Army's immediate requirements and provides the Air Force with
an additional aircraft for intra-theater airlift missions. In FY10, the Air Force assumed full responsibility
for the direct-support airlift mission and sole responsibility for managing the C-27J acquisition program. Thirteen C-27J aircraft
procured by the Army in FYs 2007-09 will be transferred to the Air Force as part of the transition from a joint program to
an Air Force only program.
The C-27J was developed to provide a niche capability to directly support the U.S. Army's urgent airlift needs in difficult environments
(e.g. short runways) such as Afghanistan. It was believed that the C-130 would not be able to operate in these envirnments, however,
the anticipated airfield constraints proved not to be an issue after all. Due to the large U.S. Air Force inventory of C-130s and the lower
cost to operate these aircraft, the niche capability provided by the C-27J is now no longer needed.
Therefore, as a direct result of the DoD's efforts to reduce spending by $487 billion over the next 10 years,
the C-27J program has been cancelled prematurely.
From FY 2013, all U.S. military funding for this program is discontinued.
In total, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) has purchased 25 aircraft at a total cost of $1.15 billion (1.20 billion incl. RDT&E).
However, the DoD does not intend to take delivery of any of the aircraft procured in FY2011 and FY2012.
The C-27J aircraft that have already been delivered will be retired from service.
The average aircraft price is $45.9 million over the life of the program
(in FY 2012, the unit price paid by the DoD is $53.3 million).
None. An AC-27J attack variant was considered but never produced.
The C-27J Spartan Joint Cargo Aircraft will provide responsive, flexible, and tailored tactical airlift for combat, humanitarian operations and homeland defense.
Continues procurement of the C-27J Spartan for the Air Force with 9 aircraft. FY12 also provides $27.1 million in Air Force RDT&E funds.
Funding in FY13 was cancelled as a result of the DoD's decision to terminate the C-27J program. For more information, click to see the Complete FY 2013 C-27 Budget.
Sources: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Alenia Aeronautica,
and Rolls Royce plc.
Last Update: November 30, 2012.
By Joakim Kasper Oestergaard
Alenia Aeronautica's C-27 Site: C-27J Spartan
Official C-27J Site: C-27J Spartan
YouTube: C-27J Spartan | YouTube Videos
Fact Sheet: C-27J Spartan | Fact Sheet
Brochure: C-27J Spartan | Brochure
C-27J U.S. Defense Budget Charts: |
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Primary Function: Cargo and tactial transport aircraft |
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