CASELLE, Italy -- As production on the C-27J continues at Alenia Aeronautica's plant here, the company is already eyeing potential upgrades to improve the tactical airlifter's performance.

U.S. C-27J No. 4 will be delivered to the Pentagon in March. It will be the final aircraft included among the first four C-27Js headed to Iraq in the fall.

The company's ambitions for a stateside final assembly facility at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Fla., have been momentarily dashed because of the decision in the fiscal 2010 budget to trim the buy from 78 to 38. The plan now is to continue delivering the aircraft from this facility (some other C-27J work takes place in Capodichino outside of Naples). The U.S. prime contractor, L-3 Communications, then adds mission systems into the aircraft in the United States.

Alenia officials are still hopeful that the pending Quadrennial Defense Review and Mobility Capabilities Requirements Study will validate the need for more of the airlifters. U.S. content is now about 55 percent, the officials say, and it could increase with a U.S. final assembly facility and stateside suppliers.

The U.S. has 13 on order now. They forecast sales as high as 145 aircraft to the Pentagon. This would include the original 78 expected for purchase as well as 67 other models, possibly for use as special operations gunships or other special mission variants.

Meanwhile, the company is working on an upgrade to improve the landing weight by about 500 pounds from the current 60,627 pounds. The goal is to operate with more weight -- fuel or cargo -- but still retain the short-field landing characteristics. Also, a goal is to improve performance so that even in high and hot conditions -- such as those in Afghanistan -- the aircraft can maintain the same rate of climb, which is considered important for operation in and out of airfields that may be targets for insurgents.

The power improvement is in development and will be ready by the end of 2011. Company officials are in discussions with the U.S. military about adding it to the Pentagon's aircraft.

Work also is under way to qualify the aircraft for in-flight refueling from the KC-767 and KC-30 for the Italian Air Force. The work now is focusing on probe-and-drogue refueling, but company officials say they can add a boom refueling option if needed for the United States.

Once partnered on the C-27J with Lockheed Martin, the two have parted ways. Now, Alenia finds itself competing with the U.S. behemoth, which makes the C-130J, for orders. Alenia officials are stressing the lower price of the aircraft as well as its unique tactical applications as reasons why they anticipate more Pentagon orders.

The first two C-27Js have been delivered to the Pentagon, and the 38th aircraft will be delivered by 2014, company officials say.

Photo: C-27J Team