The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified congress of the possible sale of ten Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan aircraft to Australia for $950 million.
The prime contractor of the deal will be L3's Integrated Systems Group, said the DSCA.
The proposed package includes the 10 aircraft and 23 Rolls Royce AE2100D2 engines. Defensive systems include 12 BAE Systems AAR-47A (V) 2 missile warning systems, 12 ALE-47 airborne countermeasures systems, and 12 Northrop Grumman APR-39B radar warning receivers.
Northrop Grumman would also provide 12 sets of the APN-241 Tactical Transport Radar, which offers a high resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping mode.
The $950 million deal also includes other equipment, communications gear, and services related to the acquisition.
On 31 October Australia announced plans for the long-awaited replacement of the de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou aircraft that were retired in 2009, with the C-27J apparently favoured for the requirement.
Under Australia's Air 8000 Phase 2 programme, the country will obtain up to 10 battlefield airlifters to replace the Caribous, the Department of Defence said.
The DOD has also said it will consider the Airbus Military C-295 aircraft for the requirement.
Source: Flight International
