Vanguard Magazine

F FWSAR www.vanguardcanada.com APRIL/MAY 2016 23 systems create a high degree of situational awareness and automation, freeing the pi- lots for additional roles in a mission if re- quired. Other systems which support this include a night vision imaging system and compatibility for night vision goggles. The FWSAR version of the C-27J will also fea- ture a heads-up display. With 14 windows, including two over- head, the cockpit allows pilots an extraor- dinarily wide field of view. The standard Spartan crew consists of a pilot and co- pilot sitting side-by-side in a modern glass cockpit. A folding seat in the cockpit can accommodate a third crew member if nec- essary to support individual mission re- quirements. On the standard Spartan, two Rolls Royce AE 2100D2A turboprop engines produce 4,637 shaft horsepower. The FWSAR version would have the more powerful AE2100D2B engine. An on-board auxiliary power unit makes the C-27J fully autonomous in operations even on the most remote airstrips. Its best- in-class speed, range, payload, and maneu- verability in tight quarters make it a tough competitor for the FWSAR program. establishment of Spartan Aviation Ser- vices gives us a strong presence in Canada that will be used not only as an anchor for FWSAR and other Canadian programs but also as a means to transfer valuable intellec- tual property and know-how to Canadian industry," said Umberto Rossi, senior vice- president at Finmeccanica Aeronautics. "This business represents a commitment to Canada for years to come that will have a multiplier effect—supporting other Fin- meccanica aircraft programs from across the Americas." The C-27J is considered a leading con- tender to replace the aging fleets of Buffalo and Hercules aircraft that have conducted Canada's FWSAR mission for more than 45 years, in the case of the Buffalo, and fly- ing in vast and often inhospitable reaches of the world's second-largest nation. A rugged and maneuverable multi-mis- sion aircraft, the C-27J Spartan offers some of the most up-to-date features available in aviation today. It can transport troops and cargo; air-drop paratroopers; equipment and material; and carry out medical evacu- ation and special missions. Other features which make it attrac- tive as a search and rescue platform are its best-in-class speed and maneuverability in tight terrain. Designed for short takeoffs and landings, the Spartan can use a wide range of airfields, including truncated and unprepared Arctic strips that lack support equipment. Additionally, in a search and rescue con- figuration, the C-27J is already in service and undergoing the rigors of that mission with the U.S. Coast Guard. The Spartan's cockpit and its associated

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