Alenia Aeronautica delivers third and final C-27J transport aircraft to Lithuania

The third C-27J Spartan out of three purchased by the Lithuanian Armed Forces landed in LAF Šiauliai Military Airport, October 12. Lithuania signed a contract on procurement of three C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft with Italian enterprise Alenia Aeronautica S.p.A." in June 2006. The first C-27J Spartan reached Lithuania in the end of 2006, the second - in the beginning of December last year. The contract value is 75 million Euros (spare parts, logistics equipment, installations for VIP cabin, training for pilots and maintenance personnel included). Name will be bestowed on the third C-27J Spartan like on its predecessors Gediminas and Algirdas, and commissioning ceremony will be held in the shortest while. Spartans are used for transportation and landing of troops, VIP and cargo, medical evacuation, etc. The aircraft can take off from a surface of less than 500 metres, and one refuelling in a transitional airport for flight to Afghanistan where Lithuania is operating a PRT.