INDIAN ARMED FORCES CHIEFS ON OUR RELENTLESS AND FOCUSED PUBLISHING EFFORTS

The insightful articles, inspiring narrations and analytical perspectives presented by the Editorial Team, establish an alluring connect with the reader. My compliments and best wishes to SP Guide Publications.

— General Upendra Dwivedi, Indian Army Chief

"Over the past 60 years, the growth of SP Guide Publications has mirrored the rising stature of Indian Navy. Its well-researched and informative magazines on Defence and Aerospace sector have served to shape an educated opinion of our military personnel, policy makers and the public alike. I wish SP's Publication team continued success, fair winds and following seas in all future endeavour!"

— Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Indian Navy Chief

Since, its inception in 1964, SP Guide Publications has consistently demonstrated commitment to high-quality journalism in the aerospace and defence sectors, earning a well-deserved reputation as Asia's largest media house in this domain. I wish SP Guide Publications continued success in its pursuit of excellence.

— Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Indian Air Force Chief
SP's Military Yearbook 23-2024
SP's Military Yearbook 2021-2022
       

C-27J: US Air National Guard’s choice for Afghanistan Video Credit: National Guard

The C-27J Spartan is now the choice of US Air National Guard for deployment in hostile scenarios such as Afghanistan.

The C-27J has been selected by the United States Government to equip US Army and US Air Force, through the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) programme, against the EADS-CASA C-295.

The C-27J 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 it is the only aircraft of its class offering interoperability with heavier airlifters.

The first two C-27Js are already being used at Robins Air Force Base, in Georgia, to train air crews. The rest of the 38-aircraft fleet will be delivered to six Air Guard bases, said Lt.

The C-27J resembles a C-130J—the newest airframe to be added to the Air National Guard's inventory— but is about half its size. Beckman estimates about 350 people will be trained to fly the new plane.

According to Lt. Colonel Joe Brophy, a C-130J pilot from the Maryland Guard who is working on the C-27J programme and will be one of the initial instructors for the new aircraft, the C-27J is capable of landing with a 2,000 ft or less ground roll on an unimproved runway, offloading cargo and taking off from that same runway at a field elevation of 6,000 ft in 95 degree.

The C-27J's ability to perform in austere conditions makes it well suited for missions in mountainous Afghanistan and will keep more convoys off Afghanistan's dangerous roads.

The C-27J is the culmination of separate air force and army initiatives dating back to 2005. The army was seeking an aircraft that would conduct time-sensitive, mission-critical cargo and personnel airlift and relieve the stress on its C-23 Sherpa and C-12 Huron planes, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

The project evolved into the Joint Cargo Aircraft project, but the decision was made in April 2009 to transfer the programme solely to the Air Force, Beckman said. The C-27J will ease the pressure on the C-130 fleet as well as the Army's Chinooks.

The C-27J, thanks to a loading system perfectly compatible with one of the C-130 family, can carry pallets weighing up to 4,700 kg and high up to 2,20 m.

The C-27J is capable of performing many missions such as transport of troops, goods and medicines, logistical re-supply, medical evacuation, airdrop operations, paratroopers' launches, search and rescue (SAR), fire fighting, humanitarian assistance and missions in support of homeland security.

The C-27J is equipped with modern avionics and efficient propulsion system, the new avionics system, the architecture of which is completely redundant to increase the level of mission security and reliability permits to operate in any environment condition and in any operational scenario.

The C-27J has been designed, developed and tested as a true military aircraft using military standards to produce a robust, safe and performing aircraft, and has obtained military qualification certificate. At the same time, the C-27J is airworthy to civil standards, as witnessed by its certification from the Civil Aviation Authority.