Boeing has announced plans to compete in the upcoming Joint Cargo Aircraft competition by joining with L-3 Communications and Finmeccanica’s Alenia division to offer the C-27J aircraft, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Army and Air Force have joined forces to recapitalize the Army’s light cargo C-23 Sherpa fleet and provide the Air Force with a lighter transport aircraft that can get in and out of austere locations. A team led by Raytheon and EADS-CASA plans to offer the C-295 and CN-235 aircraft. The WSJ reports also that Lockheed Martin may enter a short version of its C-130 into the competition. The Air Force and Army plan to open a joint program office in October and to see deliveries of the first aircraft by 2010.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.