Alenia to Supply 18 Planes to Afghanistan

Alenia to Supply 18 Planes to Afghanistan (NSI News Source Info) ROME - October 1, 2008: Alenia Aeronautica has won a $287 million (200 million-euro) contract to supply 18 transport planes to the Afghan armed forces through the U.S. air force, the Italian group Finmeccanica said Sept. 30. Alenia Aeronautica, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, signed the contract with the U.S. Air Force, the group said.

Alenia Aeronautica G-222

The G-222 planes, which were used by the Italian army until 2005, will be refitted and bought by the U.S. Air Force before being supplied to its Afghan counterpart, Finmeccanica said in a statement. The planes, which can transport up to 10 tons of freight or take 36 people at a time for medical evacuation, are set to be supplied between 2009 and 2011, the group said. Some 2,400 Italian soldiers are in Afghanistan with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).