The C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) Team – led by L-3 Communications and with Alenia Aeronautica’s
participation through its owned company Alenia North America – announced today that the United States’ C-
27J JCA fleet has logged 1,000 flight hours. The fleet includes the recently delivered third and fourth
aircraft. The four delivered aircraft are supporting aircrew training and Product Qualification Testing (PQT).
The training, which is being conducted at the programme's newly established schoolhouse, is scheduled to
continue throughout this year and will be accelerated as operational demands increase.
“The achievement of 1,000 flight hours is very significant”, said Giovanni Bertolone, Alenia Aeronautica’s
CEO, “and attests to the reliability of the aircraft and the effectiveness of the collaboration between the
companies involved in the programme: the logistical support provided by Global Military Aircraft Systems
(GMAS), L-3 Vertex maintainers and the technical support/logistics group of Alenia Aeronautica”.
Pilot and Loadmaster training activities are being supported by the GMAS-owned Test Bed Aircraft and
conducted with the support of L-3 Link Simulation & Training. The full-motion Operational Flight Trainer
(OFT), built by Alenia Aeronautica and L-3, is scheduled to be delivered in the fourth quarter of next year.
The programme is proceeding to Multi-Service Operational Test and Evaluation (MOT&E) with two Army
and two Air Force crews. These crews will fly a rigorous test schedule in proving out the C-27J JCA’s
operational capabilities.
About Alenia North America
Alenia North America is a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica and part of the Finmeccanica Group. Its mission
is to further expand the industrial and commercial presence of the Alenia Group in North America.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Alenia North America has offices located in Seattle, Washington; Long
Beach, California; Fort Worth, Texas; and Smyrna, Georgia. Alenia North America has two wholly owned
subsidiaries: Alenia North America – Canada, which has offices in Ottawa, Canada; and Alenia North
America Defense, which is located in Washington, D.C., Alenia North America is also a shareholder in
Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS).
The C-27J is the world leader in the twin-engine military tactical aircraft market and has been sold to the
U.S., Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania and Morocco. Other Alenia North America products
include the C-27/G.222 tactical transport aircraft and the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer (produced by its
sister company, Alenia Aermacchi, 100% owned by Alenia Aeronautica) and Light Attack aircraft, both of
which are currently competing in the U.S. market.
About L-3 Communications
L-3 Integrated Systems Group (L-3 ISG) develops and integrates defence and commercial technology for
U.S. and allied customers worldwide. L-3 ISG has more than five decades of experience in the development
of complex intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; command and control; and secure
communications. It is recognized internationally as a systems integration organization specializing in the
modernization and maintenance of aircraft of all sizes. L-3 ISG is a leader in advanced technologies for
signal processing, electronic countermeasures, sensor development and aircraft self-protection. Systems
provided or maintained by L-3 ISG help protect military and civilian personnel, bases, assets and national
borders throughout the world. Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs
approximately 67,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in C3ISR (Command, Control,
Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems, aircraft modernization and
maintenance and government services. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic
systems used on military and commercial platforms. The company reported 2009 sales of $15.6 billion. To
learn more about L-3, please visit the company's website at www.L-3com.com.
About GMAS
Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS), a joint venture between Alenia North America and L-3 Integrated
Systems, is a centre of excellence to support the C-27J in North America. GMAS is headquartered in
Madison, Mississippi. GMAS is responsible for system engineering integration, avionics upgrades, training
and logistics support for the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft.