– Leonardo delivered to the Slovenian Ministry of Defense the first of two C-27J Next Generation aircraft, contracted following the Italy-Slovenia Government-to-Government (G2G) Agreement signed on 17 November 2021. The aircraft is equipped with advanced avionics equipped with a glass cockpit with five color multifunction screens, a radar for tactical transport missions, communication systems, satellite system, ballistic protection and with winglets which further increase its aerodynamic performance.
As part of the G2G Agreement between the two countries, two separate acquisition contracts have been signed in the last two years between Leonardo and the Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness of the General Secretariat of Defense/National Armaments Directorate, each including an airplane and logistical-training services. The choice of the C-27J by the Slovenian Ministry of Defense allows it to fully satisfy various operational needs both in terms of transport and projection capacity in international missions, and in support of the national population for rescue, civil protection and firefighting tasks. In fact, the Slovenian program plans to operate the C-27J also in the new Fire Fighting configuration, equipped with the latest generation MAFFS II (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) palletized fire fighting system from United Aeronautical Corporation, a world leader in aerial fire fighting application systems.
The system architecture of the C-27J Next Generation allows it to respond with a cost-effective solution to all the tactical operational requirements expressed by the market, ensuring, among other things, interoperability with other higher category transport aircraft. To meet operator needs, the aircraft's modular architecture allows integration with in-flight refueling, self-protection, secure communications and ballistic protection systems to operate in high-threat environments, transporting materials, light vehicles and personnel . Thanks to the versatility of the platform, the C-27J can in fact be rapidly reconfigured, by means of kits and roll-on/roll-off mission systems in the configuration necessary to carry out defense and civil protection missions, in line with the new market demands.
Ordered in over 90 units to operate in the most challenging geographical, environmental and operational contexts, Leonardo's Spartan continues to grow in capacity and performance, thanks to its design and intrinsic versatility and is able to perform with maximum effectiveness and cost competitive military transport missions, airdrop of paratroopers and materials, tactical support to ground forces, special forces operations, Maritime Patrol (MP), Command-Control-Communications (C3), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconaissance (ISR) and for operations of humanitarian/aero-medical assistance and support to populations affected by environmental disasters.
