ROME, April 1 (UPI) -- The Bulgarian air force now has the third and final C-27J transport ordered from Italy's Alenia Aeronautica and a logistics center for them.
The aircraft was delivered Thursday in a ceremony at Vrazhdebna air base in Sofia that was attended by company officials and senior government and military leaders of Bulgaria and Italy.
The C-27J Spartan is a twin-engine turboprop tactical transport aircraft with state-of-the-art technology in avionics, propulsion and systems. It provides high performances, high cost effectiveness, extreme operating flexibility and is the only aircraft of its class offering interoperability with heavier airlifters, Alenia said.
The aircraft is compliant with NATO standards and capable of takeoffs and landing on semi-prepared runways of less than 500 yards.
Bulgaria ordered the aircraft from Alenia, a Finmeccanica company, in 2006.
The air forces of Italy, Greece, Lithuania, Romania, Morocco and the United States have placed orders for the tactical transporter.
During the delivery ceremony Giuseppe Giordo, chief executive officer of Alenia Aeronautica and responsible of the Aeronautics sector of the Finmeccanica Group, said the logistics center Alenia provided Bulgaria was "evidence of Alenia Aeronautica's ability and willingness to offer its customers cutting-edge products and services while developing strategic and lasting relationships."
