SPARTAN IN NAME ONLY

摘要

Lockheed Martin Alenia's C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft began life as a marriage of convenience. Alenia Aeronautica, the Italian aircraft company headquartered in Rome, was looking to continue its G222 medium transport line by upgrading and modernizing the aircraft. Lockheed Martin was searching for a way to meet contractual offset obligations to Italy for that country's purchase of 22 C-130J Hercules. As a result, a technical interchange agreement was signed in 1995, Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems was formed the following year and full-scale development of the C-27J began in June 1997.