The General Command of the U.S. Air Force will entrust to Alenia North America, a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica group), training of pilots and maintenance personnel C-27/G.222 of tactical transport aircraft that the U.S. is handing over Afghan Air Force. The contract valued at over $ 4 million includes one year of theoretical lessons, practical training and training of pilots flying Afghan and U.S. advisor will then be sent to Kabul to work with staff in Afghanistan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC). The courses will be held at the Alenia Capodichino (Naples).
In October 2009, the U.S. Air Force had signed a contract with Alenia North America, similar but more conspicuous (7 million dollars) for training degli equipaggi C-27/G.222 a Capodichino e l’abilitazione al volo di una cinquantina di piloti afgani nella base aerea di San Antonio (Texas). Gli “allievi” parteciparono pure a corsi base per la manutenzione dei velivoli e la gestione delle operazioni passeggeri e di carico e scarico. Quella dell’azienda controllata dal gruppo Finmeccanica, è una scelta quasi obbligata per il Pentagono. Alenia North America, infatti, è stata protagonista nell’ottobre 2008 di una ambigua triangolazione militare Italia - Stati Uniti - Afghanistan. Glissando i controlli e le autorizzazioni previste dalla legge n. 185 del 1990, che disciplina il commercio delle armi italiane, vietando le esportazioni a paesi belligeranti o i cui governi are responsible for ascertaining violations of human rights conventions, "the company had sold for 18 U.S. Air Force transport planes G.222 (already in the Italian Air Force), which modernize the factory and then delivered Alenia Capodichino first to the Combined Security Transition Command Allied operations in Afghanistan and, later, the reconstituted ANAAC.
The amount of the contract, including the provision of aircraft, spare parts and logistical support in Italy and Afghanistan, was 287 million dollars. The contract was enthusiastically greeted by the directors general of Alenia North America, which they said "proud" of the company's growing role in support of developing a robust capability of aviation in Afghanistan that will promote humanitarian and security assistance of the Afghan people. " Two years after the U.S. Air Force has asked the company to bring to 20 the number of units from G.222 to modernize and deliver - via Washington - the armed forces in Afghanistan. With integration of the contract of 30 million dollars, Alenia North America has decided to reschedule the two additional aircraft in operation "transport VIP ", providing them with a new autopilot system and ballistic protection. To date, seven aircraft have been completed: 6 are already operating in Afghanistan, while the seventh is used to Capodichino for the training of advisors of U.S. Air Force. The logistical support of aircraft operations at the airport in Kabul have been given by the Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF) society "L-3 Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Mississippi, a major U.S. aerospace contractor. The delivery of the remaining aircraft from Alenia G.222 should be made by December 2011.
Finmeccanica point, however, to other lucrative business in the Asian theater of war. In October 2009, to coincide with the signing of the first pilot training contract, Alenia Aeronautica has offered to U.S. Air Force the "triangulation" in favor of a dozen Afghan fighters AMX being disposed of Italian Air Force. "The aircraft, ideal for attacks on ground targets, could be improved in version ATOL, which stands for operational capacity and logistical ," explained the manager Alenia. The Department of Defense would have to rule on the offer nei prossimi mesi.
0 comments:
Post a Comment