Australia Targets Mid-Nov. for Its First C-27J's Maiden Flight

The head of Australia’s New Airlift Project Office revealed the maiden flight of Australia’s first C-27J Spartan tactical airlifter will occur in Italy in mid-November, two months ahead of schedule.
Australia is buying 10 C-27Js under Project AIR 8000 Phase 2 via a Foreign Military Sales agreement with the United Sates. L-3 Communications is the prime contractor and the first Spartan is due to be handed over at L-3s facility in Waco, Texas, in the second half of next year.
Three Australian C-27Js will remain in the United States — the first, second and fifth airframes — to carry out initial air and ground crew training. The first aircraft delivered to Australia — aircraft three and four off the line — are expected to arrive in March 2015.
Final Operating Capability (FOC) is currently set to occur at the end of 2017.
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