Joint Cargo Aircraft: We Have a Winner (?)
Related Stories: Americas - USA, Boeing, Budgets, Contracts - Awards, EADS, Europe - Other, Finmeccanica, Force Structure, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Lobbying, Logistics, New Systems Tech, Official Reports, Policy - Procurement, Raytheon, Rumours, Transport & Utility, Warfare - Lessons
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When the WALRUS super-heavy cargo airship was canceled, combat commanders complained that front-line airfields were often too short for the C-130 Hercules that make up the USAF’s tactical transport fleet. Delays in buying a small cargo aircraft to fill that role were making that problem worse. Starved of useful help due to USAF-sponsored delays, and the lack of appropriate aircraft in the USAF, the Army carried on with its aging C-23 Sherpas, and repurposed aircraft like the unprotected C-12 Hurons, in order to ferry troops, supplies, and/or very small vehicles within its theaters of operations. “The JCA Program: Key West Sabotage?” looked at the different levels of urgency and priority in the US Army and US Air Force, the resulting Congressional SNAFUs, and early-stage developments leading up to the contract award.
JCA could be worth up to $6 billion before all is said and done, and the finalists were a familiar duo. After EADS-CASA’s CN-235 and a shortened version of Lockheed Martin’s C-130J were disqualified for failing to meet requirements, JCA became yet another international competition between EADS-CASA’s C-295M & Alenia’s C-27J. The C-27J team eventually won the delayed decision in June 2007, and prevailed in the subsequent contract protests from their rivals. What’s still unclear is exactly how much they’ve won. If you thought the joint-service decision and contract announcement would end the inter-service and Congressional politicking, think again. The contractor side of the equation has been equally fractious, with Boeing pulling out of the partnership, and on ongoing drama centered around an American final assembly plant.
The latest news involves Year III orders from the program, ongoing developments around the long-rumored Jacksonville, FL final assembly plant… and reports of a secret move to slash the program and transfer what’s left to the Air Force. Which turn out to be true.
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