Aerospace |
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In an attempt to replace its old Caribou light transport aircraft, Australia short-listed Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) of Indonesia, Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (CASA) of Spain, a consortium of Lockheed Martin Corp and Italy's Alenia last week. According to reports, the Royal Australian Air Force's DHC-4 Caribou aircraft will be used primarily in a tactical air transport role. Depending upon how capable the selected model is, 10 to 12 aircraft will be ordered under the project and the first aircraft should enter service by late 2000. The three companies will lodge tenders before a decision will be made on the project sometime next year. CASA and IPTN will offer Australia three of their own models derived from one original design. While Lockheed and Alenia will bid on the C-27J Spartan, a variant of an old Alenia model currently retrofitted with the same engines and several similar systems as Lockheed's C-130J Hercules model. CASA is offering its C-295, derived from the CN235, which was featured at this year's Paris Air Show. It is also offering the CN235-300M. And IPTN is offering the CN235-330 Phoenix as well Over the past five years, the number of Pratt & Whitney employees has reduced from 41,000 to 30,000. |
