Slovakia approves the purchase of two C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft

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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Slovakia
 
 
Slovakia approves the purchase of two C-27J Spartan tactical military transport aircraft
 
The Slovak military will purchase two Italian tactical transport aircraft C-27J Spartan for, the government decided at its October 22 session. This move completes the almost six-year procurement process that began in 2008 in the wake of the crash of military aircraft An-24 close to Hungarian village Hejce in which 42 Slovaks died.
     
The Slovak military will purchase two Italian tactical transport aircraft C-27J Spartan for, the government decided at its October 22 session. This move completes the almost six-year procurement process that began in 2008 in the wake of the crash of military aircraft An-24 close to Hungarian village Hejce in which 42 Slovaks died.
Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan tactical military transport
     
Defence Minister Martin Glvác announced that the contract on delivery of the two machines will be inked next week, the TASR newswire reported.

The Sme daily wrote that the public still does not know how much the ministry will pay for what it called the most important purchase by the Slovak army. “It is the aircraft we need and, first of all, it is required by the army,” Glvác said, as quoted by TASR, adding that C-27Js will carry out military tasks and ensure that the Slovak army will not lose its expert capabilities following the scrapping of the An-24s.

Aside from this role, the new aircraft can be used also for domestic or international crisis management, said the minister.

The material was discussed at a closed-door session, with the purchasing price confidential. Glvác assured the public that the price is lower than that seen in the last tender, though he refused to state any figures, TASR wrote.

The resources for the purchase are allocated from the ministry’s budget.

“We will not indebt future governments,” the defence minister added, as quoted by TASR.

Slovakia will have to wait for the new aircraft, as the first C-27J is slated to be delivered in 2016 and another one year later. The Slovak Army currently uses Antonov An-26 and L-410 transporters.

Former defence minister Martin Fedor of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ) said that a single fleet for both the Interior and Defence Ministries would be more efficient for the state.

“I have been promoting long-term the operation of a single unified fleet that would be more efficient for the state,” Fedor said, as quoted by TASR. “The existing two separate fleets run by the ministries do not contribute towards the streamlining of the state apparatus.

He also pointed out that the Concept of the Development of Slovak Armed Forces’ Airforce is still confidential material and thus it is not possible to evaluate the economic efficiency of the purchase in question, as reported by TASR.

The C-27J is an advanced derivative of Alenia Aeronautica's G.222 (C-27A Spartan in US service), with the engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. The primary roles of the C-27J are cargo transport, troop transport, and material and paratroop air drop. Other missions include maritime patrol, tactical operations, medical evacuation, ground refuelling, fire-fighting and aerial spraying. The C-27J Spartan is the perfect fixed-wing multipurpose cargo aircraft for today’s diverse missions. Extremely maneuverable and versatile, the rugged C-27J boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class and the ability to perform 3.0g force maneuvers in the style of fighter aircraft, enabling tight turns and a rapid climb and descent. The C-27J can fly farther, faster and higher than any other twin engine military transport aircraft in its class.