A joint venture between L-3 Communications subsidiary Integrated Systems and Alenia North American is offering the C-27J Spartan medium tactical airlifter to the Air Force as a potential combat rescue tanker. The Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, just launched a market research effort for the CRT last month. The CRT would augment or replace the current fleet of special operations HC-130 and MC-130 refuelers. Among requirements for a CRT aircraft is the ability to refuel AFSOC’s new CV-22 tilt-rotor and CSAR-X aircraft. The C-27J is also competing for the Army’s Future Cargo Aircraft program.
The Senate confirmed new leaders of U.S. forces in Europe and the Middle East over the weekend. Lawmakers on June 29 also approved a reshuffling of Air Force officials that will put new faces in the service’s Pentagon headquarters as well as at its largest command.