Leonardo is promoting its C-27J Spartan as an ideal airlift solution for African countries at the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition underway in Tshwane. This comes on the back of recent sales to several African nations.
To date, in Africa the C-27J has been ordered by Marocco, Chad, Kenya and Zambia.
Leonardo said the aircraft is well suited to supporting international operations, civil defence, tactical transport and VIP transport. “It is the ideal platform for operations in Africa as it can be loaded and perform tactical and operational missions from non-prepared runways, at high altitudes and high temperatures, capabilities still unmatched by other same-class aircraft.”
Umberto Rossi, SVP Marketing and Sales at Leonardo Aircraft, said: “Air Forces need an aircraft with the features of the C-27J Spartan. We believe that our product is the best solution for African countries. The C-27J Spartan is the most effective multi-mission airlifter available on the market today. Its capability to operate from the most rudimentary airstrips, in extreme environmental conditions cannot be matched by any other twin-engine airlifter.
“Ordered and deployed with full satisfaction by the most important Air Forces, the Spartan has already fully demonstrated its ability to effectively accomplish any tactical transport mission, ranging from disaster relief to “last tactical mile” troops support.”
An upgrade programme has been set with avionics, communication and winglets to offer the market an enhanced product. The new C-27J baseline configuration is characterized by a brand new avionics system. The main benefits include compliance with new civil aviation regulations and military requirements as well as obsolescence risk reduction. The new configuration will be tested and qualified in 2018 and it will be available in 2019.
The C-27J has been already ordered by the Air Forces of Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Marocco, U.S.A., Mexico, Australia, Chad, Peru, Slovakia, Kenya and Zambia for a total of 85 aircraft.
