Via Aviation Week (official magazine of EADS and EADS North America *note stated tongue in cheek---sorta).
After a lull period, EADS North America is seeing increased interest from the Pentagon about a potential purchase of Airbus Military C-212 light transports.Geez.
There is “intensifying interest” in the last month for the C-212 to potentially serve as a new light mobility aircraft, says Sean O’Keefe, CEO of EADS N.A. The program outline is still emerging, but O’Keefe says it could entail the purchase of 50-100 aircraft.
One of the drivers of twin-engine C-212 interest is a recognition that doing the mission with a single-engine aircraft is not suitable.
O’Keefe says EADS N.A. also is eyeing a special operations command requirement for transport aircraft. The C-212 is one of the aircraft the special operations community will be evaluating, he says.
Still unclear is what the commercial strategy would be for the U.S. program, including whether the aircraft would be assembled in the U.S.
WHAT IS THIS GUY SMOKING!
First we get word that the US military will be interested in purchasing the A400M. Now we get word that the US military is showing interest in the C-212.
Yep, O'Keefe needs to be drug tested or declared 5150.
My question is this. What happened to the C-27???? This from Wikipedia...
The United States received its first C-27J on 25 September 2008.[28] In September 2008, the C-27J Schoolhouse, operated by L-3 Link, officially began classes at the Georgia Army National Guard Flight Facility, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. By April 2009, the Army had accepted deliveries of two aircraft and had 11 more on order.[29] A proposal in May 2009 that the US Army/Army National Guard relinquish all of its aircraft to the US Air Force, primarily the Air National Guard, with a reduction of the total buy to 38 aircraft,[30][dead link]led the DoD to give total control of the US's C-27Js to the USAF in December.[21] Although the plan is for the C-27J to be entirely operated by the Air National Guard for direct support of the United States Army, today both Army National Guard and Air National Guard flight crews support the fielding of the aircraft. The US Air National Guard had received four C-27Js by July 2010 and began using them for testing and training. Purchase of 38 Spartans is anticipated with initial operational capability expected in October 2010.[31] The US Air Force has planned the C-27J's first combat deployment for summer 2011.[32]Wishful thinking is not a business plan.
EADS and EADS North America seem to be engaged in a whole bunch of wishful thinking.
Agreed, there is absolutely ZERO chance of the USAF making a major purchase of a new airlifter anytime in the near future. The only way I see the USAF buying any new C-212 models would be if Special Forces command wanted them, and even then it would be probably 20 aircraft at the most. They'd probably have better luck marketing it to the U.S Army or Coast Guard, but even then I don't see any scenario where we buy 50-100 of these.
ReplyDeleteSpeeking of the C-212, it just LOST a USAF contract for a light cargo plane to the Cessna Grand Caravan.