The Air National Guard’s fleet of C-27J transports remains grounded a little more than one week after Aeronautical Systems Center officials at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, suspended flight operations following a flight control problem with one of these airplanes during a training sortie on July 10. “This is a precautionary measure while the Air Force and C-27J industry team investigate the incident,” service spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told the Daily Report on July 18. She added, “The program office is working with the C-27J prime contractor L-3 Communications and the aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aermacchi to resolve the matter as quickly as possible and return the C-27J fleet to normal flight operations.” The Air Force last month ceased operating C-27Js in Afghanistan and service officials have said they do not plan to return the mini airlifters to that theater. Despite the Air Force’s desire to divest the C-27J fleet starting in Fiscal 2013, Congress appears set to prohibit any such plans from kicking in next fiscal year.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.