An aggressive marketing project launched by L-3 Communications and Alenia Aeronautica is promoting the latter’s C-27J tactical transport for a U.S. Army contract that is expected to cover an initial 33 aircraft when placed in 2006 but could develop along other paths to a total of some 120.
Founded this past February 14, Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) is the brainchild of two no-nonsense Italian CEOs: Pier Francesco Guarguaglini of Alenia and L-3’s Frank C Lanza. GMAS will produce and missionize the C-27J for the Future Cargo Aircraft program and has already been hard at work flying a demonstrator around six U.S. southeastern and central states.
And Lockheed Martin, which was once Alenia’s bedfellow on the C-27J? It is a “major associated partner of the team,” according to Alenia North America’s president and CEO, Giuseppe Giordo. —Paul Jackson
