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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'.

Contents

Development

Design

Variants

Operators

Specifications (G.222)

References

External links

Related content

Development

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 These aircraft were stationed at Howard AFB, Panama, but were withdrawn from service in 1999 due to high maintenance costs.

Design

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).

Variants

;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 :
Main articles: Alenia C-27J

Operators

;

★ Argentine Army (''Commando Aviación Ejército Argentino'') ^[1]
;
;
; {{Libya}
; {Nigeria}}
;

★ Somali National Army
;

★ Royal Thai Air Force
;
;
;

★ United States Air Force

Specifications (G.222)

References

1. [1]

External links

★ 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

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