Estimates: C-27 cheaper than C-130J

Estimates: C-27 cheaper than C-130J
By Sam LaGrone - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Oct 9, 2008 6:10:34 EDT

Turns out the Joint Cargo Aircraft might not cost $4 million more than an aircraft four times larger with two more engines.

Two conflicting congressional estimates on the cost of the C-130J and hearty endorsements from the Air Force Chief of Staff are blunting the impact of a congressional recommendation that the Air Force stop buying the JCA.

Now after a tough summer, the Italian-built C-27 Spartan looks more like the little light-tactical-airlifter-that-could.

In September, a House Appropriations defense subcommittee report on the JCA called for the Air Force to scrap its 24 planes and instead use the money to buy more C-130Js, calling the aircraft more “cost-effective” than the JCA.

The report didn’t cite numbers but said cost and the Air Force’s inability to “explain the roles and missions of the aircraft” led to the recommendation to pull the Air Force money.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/10/airforce_joint_cargo_100808/%2e

The Max takeoff weight of the C-130 is 5 times that of the C-27, and a hell of a lot more durable.