The two contenders for the Army-Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft program have submitted their final proposals. A Feb. 2 release from Team JCA—Raytheon and EADS CASA North America—notes that the C-295 military transport “has proven itself through ongoing operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and humanitarian missions worldwide.” A Feb. 2 release from L-3 Communications, which is partnered with Boeing, Alenia North America, and Global Military Aircraft Systems on the C-27 J, calls its entrant the “most robust, survivable, and combat-capable aircraft” in the running for the new medium-lift transport. (Remember the Lockheed Martin entrant, the C-130J, got the boot from the Army last year and lost its protest.) Army and Air Force officials will be evaluating the two aircraft over the next couple of months and expect to announce a selection in May.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
