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Alenia G.222
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alenia G.222 C-27A Spartan |
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| Italian Air Force Alenia G.222RM radio and radar calibration aircraft, taxiing at a United Kingdom air show | |
| Type | Military transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Alenia |
| Primary users | Italian Air Force Argentine Army Venezuela United Arab Emirates |
| Variants | Alenia C-27J |
The Alenia G.222 (Alenia originally Aeritalia) is a medium-sized STOL military transport aircraft. It was originally developed to meet a NATO specification, but Italy was initially the only NATO member to adopt the type. Decades later, the United States purchased a small number of G.222s, designating them the C-27A Spartan.
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In 1962, NATO issued a specification for a V/STOL transport aircraft (NATO Basic Military Requirement 4), but none of the various submissions resulted in a production contract. The Italian Air Force, however, felt that the Aeritalia proposal was worthy of development and ordered two prototypes plus a ground-test airframe in 1968. These aircraft were slightly simplified from Aeritalia's original proposal. The first prototype flew on July 18 1970 and the Air Force began evaluating the two prototypes at the end of December 1971. Testing proved highly successful, and a contract for 44 aircraft was issued, the first entering service in April 1978.
In 1990, the United States Air Force selected the G.222 as the basis of a "Rapid-Response Intra-Theater Airlifter" (RRITA). Designated as the C-27 Spartan, ten G.222s were purchased and underwent avionics upgrades by Chrysler. These aircraft were stationed at Howard AFB, Panama, but were withdrawn from service in 1999 due to high maintenance costs.[citation needed]
The G.222 is of typical configuration for aircraft of its type, with high-mounted wings, twin turboprop engines, and a rear loading ramp. The cargo deck is sized to accommodate standard 463L pallets, has a door in the floor for airdropping, a built-in oxygen delivery system for medevac operations, and platforms at the side doors for paratroop deployment.
The G.222 is one of the few cargo planes capable of flying loops and other stunt maneuvers such as flying at about 90 km/h (with the cargo door in the back open) and short track landing (takes only about 300 m to stop the plane after touching the ground when it is empty, as seen on the Airpower 2005 in Zeltweg, Austria).
- G.222TCM
- Two prototypes for the Italian Air Force
- G.222RM
- (Radiomisura - "radio measurements") Radio/radar calibration aircraft
- G.222SAA
- (Sistema Aeronautico Antincendio - "aeronautical fire-fighting system") Fire-fighter equipped for dumping water or fire retardant chemicals. Four built for Italian Air Force
- G.222SAMA
- Fire-fighter
- G.222T
- Version powered by the Rolls-Royce Tyne for the Libyan Air Force. Sometimes designated G.222L
- G.222VS
- (Versione Speciale - "special version") ECM version - 2 built for Italian Air Force. Sometimes designated G.222GE.
- C-27A Spartan
- ten G.222s purchased for the United States Air Force.
- C-27J Spartan
- Argentine Army (Commando Aviación Ejército Argentino) [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Three - commander, co-pilot, loadmaster
- Capacity: 5,500 kg (12,100 lb) of cargo, 34 troops or 24 litters
- Length: 22.7 m (74 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 28.7 m (94 ft 2 in)
- Height: 9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 82 m² (893 ft²)
- Empty weight: 11,940 kg (26,320 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 31,800 kg (70,107 lb)
- Powerplant: 2× General Electric T64-GE-P4D turboprop, 2,535 kW (3,400 shp) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 540 km/h (336 mph, 291 kts)
- Range: 4,685 km (2,910 miles, 2,529 NM)
- Service ceiling: 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,706 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 191 kg/m² (39 lb/ft²)
- Power/mass: 0.33 kW/kg (0.11 hp/lb)
- Alenia Canadian website advocating C-27J
- GMAS website promoting C-27J for the U.S. Army and Air Force JCA Program
- CdnMilitary.ca Article on the C-27J Spartan
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
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