Air Force Might Control Cargo Aircraft ProgramApril 20, 2009The U.S. Air Force leads the U.S. Army in the college football rivalry with an all time record of 28-13-1. The Air Force can chalk up another major victory against the Army: After years of battling to protect a cargo aircraft program, the Army is likely to be shut out, according to a report in The Hill. The Army, and even more closely the Army National Guard, is likely to no longer receive the C-27J Spartan, commonly known as the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) under a new Pentagon plan, according to the report. In addition, the article notes that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his advisers are considering cutting the program in half and giving control of the remaining planes to the Air Force. That would mean only 38 C-27Js instead of 78 or more as previously planned. At present, both the Army and Air Force oversee the nearly $3 billion program. A team of L-3 Communications and Alenia North America holds the contract for the aircrafts. Alenia North America is part of the Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica. |
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