Peru plans to buy additional C-27J transport aircraft and more

Peruvian Air Force C-27J.

Peru is considering buying new fixed-wing and rotary-wing transport aircraft to strengthen the capacity of the Fuerza Aérea del Peru (Peruvian Air Force) in humanitarian relief operations.

According to defensa.com, the purchase list includes additional Leonardo C-27J Spartan and Viking Air DHC-6 Series 400 planes, as well as several Mil Mi-17 helicopters.

The Peruvian Air Force plans to strengthen its current fleet of four Spartans by adding two more by the end of 2020 and another six over the next three years. In addition, the Peruvian Army is looking at the type to replace its old three Antonov An-32B transport aircraft.

The C-27J is a key aircraft for the Peruvian Air Force, currently it is used in several roles such as humanitarian assistance, medical evacuations, monitoring of illegal activities and support to firefighting duties in remote areas.

The Fuerza Aérea del Peru has successfully flown over 6,400 hours with their Spartans since the first aircraft landed at the International Jorge Chavez airport in Lima, home of the FAP Grupo Aereo N°8, in March 2015.

In these 6,400 flight hours the C-27J has met the most challenging conditions moving between coastal areas at 19°C to forests at 38°, to mountains at 5°C, landing smoothly on semi-prepared strips at either 100 feet or 11,500 feet above sea level.

These multiple capabilities have made the Spartan an indispensable aircraft for Peru which must often face emergencies of various kinds.

If all the planned acquisitions of Peru are successful, the nation will become the largest operator of C-27J Spartan.

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Written by Matteo Sanzani

Images: Leonardo