Story ID: 364 C-27 drop-in
’G’day, J! Aussie C-27J Goes Walkabout
By: David Donald
Caption: Alenia and L-3 delivered the first of 10 C-27Js to Australia last June, and IOC is due by the end of 2016.
Word Count: 136
Making its first expedition outside of its home nation is the Royal Australian Air Force’s new Alenia Aermacchi C-27J medium transport. The RAAF selected the C-27J Spartan to restore a capability lost when its elderly DHC-4 Caribou transports were retired in 2009. Ten of the new tactical airlifters were ordered in May 2012, the first arriving at the RAAF’s transport headquarters base at Richmond, New South Wales, in June last year. Operated by No. 35 Squadron, the aircraft will ultimately transfer to RAAF Amberley in Queensland. The RAAF’s C-27Js were built by Alenia in Italy before being ferried to L-3 in Waco, Texas, for installation of equipment such as ballistic protection matting, communications and self-protection systems. An initial operating capability for the C-27J fleet is planned for later this year