Finmeccanica Denies Participating In Saudi Tactical Transport Aircraft Bid

Finmeccanica has denied Alenia Aermacchi’s C-27J participation in the Saudi Arabian tactical transport aircraft bid.

Finmeccanica in response to a news report by French Sole 24 Ore today said, “Alenia Aermacchi has never participated in the international bid called by the Interior Ministry of Saudi Arabia with its C-27J tactical transport aircraft. It is absolutely false to speak about a “defeat” for Finmeccanica. Consistently, to speak of ‘disappointment’ within the Company is mere media hype.”

Sole 24 Ore earlier today reported, “The bad news for Finmeccanica came from Saudi Arabia. During the fireworks show at Le Bourget in Paris last week, on 16 June, the Saudi interior minister has chosen the military tactical transport aircraft in an international competition in which participated also Alenia Aermacchi with the C27J Spartan,”

Finmeccanica further said that the news agency lacked knowledge of the sector to compare C-27J as a competitor of Embraer’s KC-390 as both the aircraft are entirely different in terms of technical characteristics and operating performance.

Finmeccanica-Selex ES supplies its Gabbiano T20 radars to Embraer’s KC-390.

The KC-390 is a twin-engine jet-powered military transport aircraft, weighing a maximum of 70 tons at take-off and with a load capacity of approximately 20 tons.

By contrast, the C-27J is a turboprop tactical transport aircraft, suitable for short and semi-prepared air strips, weighing a maximum of 32 tons at take-off and with a load capacity of approximately 10 tons.

Finmeccanica has also said it might take necessary actions in order to protect the interests of the company and its stakeholders.