C27J SPARTANS FOR CHAD AIR FORCE

Alenia Aermacchi of Italy is preparing to deliver the first of two C-27J Spartans to a new customer, Chad, as the aircraft face the final stages of assembly at the company's Caselle site in Turin.
The first example of the tactical transport for the African nation is largely complete, with its Rolls-Royce AE2100 engines installed. Avionics and mission systems are presently being added, with painting and a number of tests still to be performed ahead of delivery provisionally scheduled for mid-December.
The fuselage for the second aircraft will shortly arrive from Alenia's plant at Capodichino, Naples, says Francesco Dogliatti, product co-ordinator for the C-27J.
Training of Chad air force technicians and flight crew is already under way.
These new transport aircraft will add to the single C-130 Hercules currently in service with the Chad Air Force. Recent acquisitions by Chad of armoured vehicles and small arms, mainly from Eastern Europe, to re-equip its military forces may indicate an increase in military activities to combat the threat from rebel forces operating from the Darfur region in Sudan.
aafjournal