Azerbaijan turns into seventeenth nation to purchase the Leonardo C-27J.
“The industrial collaboration between Italy and Azerbaijan has been strengthened with the signing of the contract for the provision of the C-27J Spartan,” says a press launch issued by Leonardo on Jun. 8, 2023, to announce the addition of the Azerbaijan Air Drive to the listing of operators of the C-27J airlifter. The contract was inked in Italy by an Azerbaijani delegation within the presence of representatives of the Defence Ministers of the 2 nations.
The contract, price an unknown worth and an unspecified variety of plane, is the results of the rising ties between the 2 nations, that began on the vitality sector and has now prolonged to the protection subject: Azerbaijan provides fuel to Italy (that has checked out Baku as an alternative choice to the Russian fuel) by way of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the fuel hall used to move pure fuel from the Shah Deniz II subject in Azerbaijan.
In keeping with Leonardo, the settlement is a part of the intensive modernisation programme of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, that are more and more seeking to the merchandise of Italian business.
Coping with the variant, the plane bought by Azerbaijan is actually the C-27J NG (Subsequent Technology), that has lengthy been the Spartan’s manufacturing baseline. Listed here are some particulars in regards to the plane we already revealed in a detailed article published in 2020:
The improved plane options new gear, avionics and aerodynamic gadgets, most notably new winglets, which are supposed to spice up much more the efficiency and reliability of the Spartan.
After the announcement in regards to the C-27J Subsequent Technology, Leonardo revealed on its web site an interview with the corporate’s check pilot Matteo Maurizio, Head of Undertaking Take a look at Pilot Airlifters, Particular Variations and UAS, who has been concerned within the improvement of the brand new variant of the Spartan since its first check flights. Right here is how he describes the enhancements:
The primary variations relate to the plane’s flying qualities and efficiency. When it comes to high quality, I need to stress that the brand new state-of-the-art avionics expertise totally complies with probably the most up-to-date worldwide commonplace, referred to as Efficiency Based mostly Navigation and to have within the cockpit new options as FANS1/A+ Datalink, TCAS 7.1, ILS Cat II and Enhanced Video TAWS. This allows us to take advantage of all of the capabilities supplied by the operation in civil air areas with no limitations and to reinforce interoperability in tactical navy eventualities with the mixing of Mode 5 IFF/ADS-B out, tactical VNAV and Search and Rescue.
The brand new cockpit format consists of 5 new Color Multipurpose Show Items – that includes new and enhanced LED lighting and panels that enhance pilots’ effectivity throughout a flight – a twin redundant Flight Administration System, two Digital Autopilot-Flight Director Methods with auto-throttle capabilities, and a complete communications suite. For intra-theatre operations, these options, coupled with the various giant cockpit home windows typical of the Spartan, full cockpit compatibility with NVIS/NVG evening imaginative and prescient methods and Head-Up Show availability assist to minimise pilot workload whereas rising the power to handle the mission successfully in day, evening and antagonistic climate situations.
When it comes to efficiency, the brand new winglets supply us a number of benefits by way of plane controllability, particularly flying at sluggish speeds, in addition to higher payload functionality additionally in sizzling and excessive situations.
Whereas its cruising pace of 325 KTAS (602 km/h) and repair ceiling of 30,000 ft (9,144 m) won’t change with the brand new configuration, the winglets will enhance the plane’s climb capabilities by way of climb gradients or MTOW of roughly 1,000 kg. This may permit us to function from these airports with notably steep climb gradients, that are usually served by four-engine plane.
Along with the traditional tactical transport and airdrop of troops and cargo, MEDEVAC/CASEVAC, firefighting, humanitarian help and disaster relief support, the C-27J can carry out additionally VIP transport, firefighting, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), Maritime Patrol and tactical help missions through the use of a number of roll-on/roll-off palletized mission kits and methods which permit a fast preparation for the brand new mission.
One of many configurations obtained with the usage of the aforementioned kits is the MC-27J Praetorian variant or the EC-27J JEDI (Jamming and Digital Protection Instrumentation), a modified Spartan capable of carry out Electronic Warfare missions and stop insurgents from utilizing digital gadgets to remotely detonate Improvised Explosive Gadgets (IEDs).
David Cenciotti is a journalist primarily based in Rome, Italy. He’s the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of many world’s most well-known and skim navy aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for main worldwide magazines, together with Air Forces Month-to-month, Fight Plane, and plenty of others, protecting aviation, protection, warfare, business, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown a number of fight planes with totally different air forces. He’s a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Drive, a personal pilot and a graduate in Laptop Engineering. He has written 5 books and contributed to many extra ones.
