22.06.2011.
defensenews.com
Predstavnici italijanskih OS zatražili su od kompanije Alenia Aeronautics studiju o konverziji taktičlkih transportnih aviona tipa C-27J u topovnjaču i avion za specijalne jedinice.
Alenia Aeronautica has been asked by the Italian military to study ways to convert Italian Air Force C-27J tactical transports into gunships and special forces aircraft.
Under the Praetorian program, Alenia will plan to place weapons and integrated weapon systems on the aircraft, as well as communications intelligence and EO/IR sensor systems on the aircraft.
Announcing the initiative June 22 at the Paris Air Show, Alenia CEO Giuseppe Giordo said the firm would seek export markets for the new version as well as international partners.
Giordo said the weapon would be a pallet-based, flexible add-on to the aircraft rather that fully integrated in order to keep costs down. As an example of pallet-based loads now being added to the C-27J, he pointed to the aircraft on display here, which features a palletized, two-console command-and-control unit.
A source at the firm added that a gun would likely be positioned to fire from the side door of the aircraft when opened.
Giordo has recently traveled to Afghanistan to see Italy’s C-27J aircraft in action.
On Wednesday, Giordo also announced that Alenia expected three new C-27J customers in Africa and South America to order a total of 11 aircraft imminently for a combined value of 500 million euros ($722 million).
To date a total of 79 aircraft have been ordered by Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Romania, Morocco and the U.S.
