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First C-27s delivered to Pentagon

The first C-27J Spartan cargo aircraft was delivered to the Pentagon on Thursday, on time and on budget, according to officials at L-3 Communications, the lead contractor on the Joint Cargo Aircraft contract.

“We are very proud to have achieved this critical milestone in meeting our commitment to our customer,” said Michael T. Strianese, president and CEO of L-3. “With Alenia, we have consistently performed well throughout all phases of the JCA program, and we look forward to continuing to lead this successful effort.”

The $2 billion contract, awarded in June 2007, includes 54 twin-engine turboprop light cargo planes for the Army and 24 for the Air Force. Six planes for the Army have now been ordered, with Air Force orders expected to begin in 2010. The first 14 for the Army will be produced by Alenia, a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica, in Turin, Italy.

“L-3, Alenia Aeronautica and Alenia North America have worked very hard to ensure that we present the C-27J on time to the U.S. Army,” said Pierfrancesco Guarguaglini, chairman and CEO of Finmeccanica, parent company to aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aeronautica. “This event demonstrates our group’s capability and our strong commitment to the U.S. market.”

A formal delivery ceremony will be held in October at L-3’s Waco, Texas, facility, where the Italian-built planes are modified and tested.

The C-27J will replace the Army’s C-23 Sherpas and portions of the C-12 and C-26 fleets. For the Air Force, the mid-range multifunctional plane will extend the intratheater lift fleet, capable of handling logistical re-supply, medical evacuations, troop movement, airdrop operations, humanitarian assistance and homeland security missions.