The FCA program, potentially worth $1.3 billion to the winning team in the first five years, would buy 33 initial aircraft between fiscal 2007 and 2011 to replace the Army’s 43 Sherpa planes. The Army National Guard plans to obtain three in the first year, four in the second year, seven in the third, eight in the fourth, and then 11 to round out the initial order, sources say.
The entire program is projected to run through 2025, by which time it should replace all C-26 and C-23 aircraft and select C-12s, according to Army documents. The AMCOM RFI indicates that the future aircraft would support a range of missions, including logistical resupply, casualty evacuation, troop movement, airdrop operations, humanitarian assistance and homeland security support, operating in forward bases and the continental United States.
