The Pentagon notified Congress of the potential foreign military sale of 10 C-27J transport aircraft and associated equipment and logistical support to Australia. The deal would be worth up to $950 million, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency release. The proposed sale would allow the Australian Defense Force to improve its airlift capability, including for humanitarian operations and disaster-relief activities in Southeast Asia, stated DSCA. The Australians retired their 14 DHC-4 Caribou aircraft in 2009, and will soon retire 12 C-130Hs, creating a need for new airlift assets. The Australians view interoperability with US forces as an “important goal” for future equipment purchases, noted the release. L-3 is the prime contractor for the C-27J. This announcement comes at a time when the Air Force is weighing whether it can afford to complete its planned acquisition of 38 C-27Js or must truncate the buy due to a tightening budget and competing priorities.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.