Wed, Jun 24, 2009
Pentagon Has Cut Three From This Year's Production
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called for a production run
of only eight C-27J Spartan Joint Cargo Aircraft in the coming
fiscal year, down from an original plan for 11 of the planes.
The announcement has caused National Guard Units across the country
to call for more of the planes to be built.
If successful, the aircraft eventually could be assembled at
Cecil Field in Jacksonville, practically in ANN's back yard.
In a letter to the leadership of the House and Senate Armed
Services Committees, 53 adjutants general urged the leadership the
committees to reject the DoD eleventh-hour decision to slash the
JCA program and to terminate it as a joint program.
“The JCA cuts as reported would have a devastating impact on
the National Guard and weaken our national and homeland
defense,” said the letter, according to The Florida
Times-Union.
National Guard Units will use the Spartan for Homeland Security
missions including disaster relief. Their STOL capabilities make it
an ideal aircraft for that purpose, as well as the so-called "last
tactical mile" missions getting necessary supplies to troops in
remote areas of places like Afghanistan.
The Spartan is currently being assembled in an Italian facility
by Alenia Aeronautica, which has said it intended to open a plant
at Jacksonville's Cecil Field if production numbers warranted the
move. The Pentagons' announced cuts put that facility on hold.
Jacksonville Aviation Authority Spokesman Michael Stewart called
the National Guard letter an encouraging sign, but said getting the
facility up and running would take time.
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