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| C-27J Spartans for Ghana 15-Sep-2009 16:43 EDT The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced Ghana’s official request for 4 C-27J light tactical transports, to be delivered with 10 Rolls Royce AE-2100 engines (8 + 2 spares), 4 of BAE’s AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing Systems, 4 AN/ARC-210 VHF/UHF Multimode Integrated Communication Systems without COMSEC, 4 of Raytheon’s AN/APX-119 Identification Friend or Foe Digital Transponders with mode 1,2,3a, 3c; plus commercial GPS navigation, a VIP module and observation windows, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support. The estimated cost is $680 million, but a DSCA request is not a contract. If Congress does not block the sale within 30 days, negotiations may begin. Ghana is a West African country located on the Gulf of Guinea. Its parliament was chosen to host President Obama’s 2009 Africa speech, and the DSCA describes the country and the sale as…”...a U.S. Government partner which has been, and continues to be, an important force for political stability and democracy in Africa. The proposed sale will allow Ghana to strengthen its homeland defense by improving its capability to deploy troops to protect its borders against turmoil spreading from neighboring countries. These aircraft will enhance Ghana’s ability to participate in peacekeeping operations by increasing its cargo, material, and troop transport, maritime patrol, tactical operations, and medical evacuation capabilities.” The C-27Js would allow Ghana to supplement or replace its 3 aged Fokker F27 transports, whose production line closed in 1987. Note, also, that Ghana’s Air Force uses its assets in a number of quasi-civil roles as well, some of which would be well suited to the C-27J’s capabilities. Alenia Aeronautica’s C-27J Spartan won the USA’s Joint Cargo Aircraft competition, via a partnership with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems of Greenville, TX. L-3 will be the prime contractor for Ghana’s sale, but much of the manufacturing will take place in Italy, with final assembly at at Cecil Commerce Center in Jacksonville, FL. Implementation of this proposed sale will require up to 14 U.S. government and contractor representatives to participate in bi-annual Program Management Reviews (PMR) in Ghana and the USA. |