EADS Casa has already tasted success in the USA, with its CN-235 being selected as part of the US Coast Guard's (USCG) $11 billion Deepwater fleet recapitalisation programme.
The company has a contract to produce an initial three aircraft for the Lockheed Martin-led project, but hopes an unfunded request for six more will be approved for fiscal year 2006.
Two prototypes are nearing completion at its San Pablo plant near Seville, with these to be delivered to the USA late next year to support a two-month operational analysis that will also involve an assessment of a palletised mission system being developed jointly by EADS Casa and Lockheed. EADS North America expects a total USCG requirement of 22-36 CN-235s.
A potentially more lucrative opportunity exists to supply the US Army with up to 128 future cargo aircraft (FCA) to operate as intra-theatre transports alongside its Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters. An initial 33 aircraft are being sought to replace the army's Shorts C-23B Sherpas, with a draft request for proposals due for release in June or July and a contract award expected during January 2006.
Teamed with Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, EADS North America is offering the CN-235 and stretched C-295 to meet the requirement, and faces competition from the C-27J Spartan promoted by Alenia Aeronautica/L-3 Integrated Systems joint venture Global Military Aircraft Systems. Boeing hasalso announced interest in the programme and could offer an aircraft sourced from Chinese or Russian industry (Flight International, 17-23 May).
With the army yet to fully define its requirements for the FCA, EADS is offering a baseline proposal of the CN-235, which can carry a 6,000kg (13,200lb) maximum payload or four 88 x 108in (2.2 x 2.7m) pallets. But with industry sources suggesting that the army could mandate an aircraft with a lift capacity of 7,250-8,160kg (16,000-18,000lb), the C-295's maximum of more than 9,000kg, or five pallets, could see the type come to the fore.
Alluding to the C-27J, which uses the same engines and avionics as Lockheed Martin's C-130J tactical transport, EADS North America's director army programmes Bert Fortier says the choice facing the army is simple: "Do you want the [future cargo] aircraft to have commonality with the C-130J, or with the Chinook?" A large-scale FCA purchase would see Alenia or EADS Casa transition assembly of later aircraft to the USA.
Other possible niche requirements in the USA include the potential supply of CN-235/C-295s for emerging homeland defence applications and for use as delivery aircraft for US Forest Service smokejumper teams. EADS also intends to offer the aircraft to replace Lockheed P-3 Orions in use with US customs agencies.
Source: Flight International
