Australia to acquire 10 C-27J tactical transports

The Australian Department of Defence has announced that Australia will acquire 10 C-27J Spartan Battlefield Airlift Aircraft from Italy's Alenia. The cost cited by the Department's Media Release today has put the cost at $1.4 billion, with the aircraft delivered by 2015 and to be based at RAAF Richmond, to the west of Sydney. The release also reveals that the RAAF's fleet of C-130Hs, which was to be retired ahead of schedule, "will proceed in an orderly fashion over the course of the year".

In December 2011, the United States' Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued a notification for the potential sale of the 10 C-27Js to Australia, and provides an insight into what other equipment is included in the proposed package.