PAF's Medium Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft Program - A Simple Analysis of the 3 Contenders

With the pre bid conference started for the much anticipated bidding of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Medium Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft worth Php 5.3 billion, it is worth noting that 3 contenders were present, and they have long been anticipated to participate in this project. The following aircraft manufacturers are:

1. Alenia Aerospace (Italy) with the C-27J Spartan,
2. EADS/CASA - Airbus Military (Spain/EU) with the C-295,
3. PT Dirgantara Indonesia / Indonesian Aerospace (PT DI / IAe) with the CN-235.

For the case of Airbus Military and Indonesia Aerospace, tt's surprising to see that they will be competing separately although these companies and their products are closely related to each other, MaxDefense didn't expect them to bid separately using 2 almost similar aircraft models.

The PAF is in need of a new medium-sized transport aircraft to complement and eventually replacement the venerable Fokker F.27 aircraft (above), which lacks the capability to fill-in transport duties from the larger Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules.
Photo taken from defense-studies.blogspot.com c/o sires9094.

Brief Summary of the Contenders:
Construcciones Aeronauticas SA (CASA) was a Spanish aircraft manufacturer which tied up with Industri Pesawat Terbang Nursantara (IPTN) of Indonesia to build a medium transport aircraft which eventually became CN-235 (C for CASA, N for Nursantara). Both aircraft manufacturers eventually made changes to their organizations, with CASA eventually changing its name to EADS-CASA (with EADS being a consortium of European aerospace companies where CASA is a member), which also includes Airbus and Airbus Military in the consortium. IPTN in the meantime was restructured and was renamed PT Dergantara Indonesia, or Indonesian Aerospace in 2000. Although both have rights to the CN-235, EADS-CASA and PT DI decided to develop and market the aircraft independently after the Series 100, which includes the division of marketing between the 2 countries for the aircraft. The Philippines is actually part of PT DI's jurisdiction thus they are the one marketing the CN-235. The CN-235 is a successful military aircraft with more than 26 countries operating them in military organizations plus a few other civilian operators.

The CASA-IAe CN-235 aircraft, photo above in Spanish Air Force colors.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

EADS-CASA further developed the CN-235 into a bigger aircraft, the C-295 (C for CASA, take note the missing "N" unlike the CN-235), which is actually a stretched and more powerful derivative of the CN-235. Being a different aircraft but almost in the same category of the CN-235, EADS-CASA's offer with the C-295 actually gives the Europeans a chance to challenge and provide an alternative to the Indonesian-built CN-235. Spain and 15 other countries operate the C-295.

The CASA-EADS C-295 aircraft, in Polish Air Force service.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

Alenia Aerospace's C-27J Spartan is actually a derivative of the older Aeritalia G.222 medium transport aircraft from Italy. Early G.222 aircraft were sold to the US miltary, and was called the C-27A in behalf of the US military requirements. Further development of the aircraft was made, with assistance of Lockheed Martin resulting to the C-27J Spartan. It uses the same engine, propellers and many systems found on the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules, thus the "J" designation. Aside from the US and Italy, 7 other countries use the C-27J, with more countries taking some interest on the aircraft.

The Alenia Aerospace C-27J Spartan of the Italian Air Force.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

The Acquisition Project:
The 3 aircraft being offered have their strengths and weaknesses as different platforms, and the DND will have to release it's specifications that will ultimately pinpoint to who will take the project. Here's why:

The C-27J has the largest cargo capacity with almost 3 times that of the CN-235, is the fastest, longest ranged, and most expensive of the choices. MaxDefense believes that the C-27J would lose the bid if the C-295 or CN-235 are all within the specifications of the project because of high cost. The only way this aircraft would bag the project is for the specifications to be high enough for C-295 and CN-235 to impossibly possess. This is by making the most of the C-27J's strengths in terms of capacity and power.

A Lithuanian Air Force C-27J Spartan with an aerial refueling probe.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

The C-295 is a cheaper alternative to the C-27J, but has less payload capacity and smaller fuselage size, operational range, and speed. The CN-235 has an even lesser capability than the C-295 due to its smaller size. But it is expected that the CN-235 will be the cheapest of the 3 aircraft being offered to the DND & PAF. 

Photo above shows the fuselage difference between the C-27J and C-295. The C-295 might not even be capable of taking in a Humvee which the Philippine military widely uses. This proves a disadvantage for the C-295 and CN-235 which are both smaller than the C-27J.
Photo taken from militaryphotos.net c/o Hyde.

MaxDefense believes that comparing the 3 different aircraft models is like comparing different fruits, lets say an apple to an orange and to a pear. Unlike the Light Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft Program where the competing aircraft models are closely similar, the aircraft models competing for the Medium Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft Program are not.

Ultimately the specifications will immediately say who will win as it will set the parameters into order for the 3 manufacturers. If the CN-235's dimensions and capability is enough to pass the set specifications by the DND, then it will surely win the bid due to pricing as compared to the C-295 and C-27J. Thus it would be easy to guess who will win the bid by just looking at the specifications to be released by the DND.

But MaxDefense believes that the C-27J has a lead in this project, based on previous announcements and press releases by the DND and PAF. Like the Light Lift Fixed Wing Aircraft and Surface Attack Aircraft/Lead In Fighter Trainer acquisition programs, DND's ASec Patrick Velez told Aviation Week late last year that they have already chosen the C-27J as the next medium lift transport aircraft for the PAF after evaluating it against other aircraft models like the C-295 and CN-235. This was also pointed out by reports from ABS-CBN in an earlier news report, thus making the C-27J's bid stronger compared to its competitors. Take note that so far, all aircraft models pointed out by the DND and PAF came out leading the respected bidding programs, except for the Attack Helicopter which reverted back to its original choice. If not for the bidding requirements as decided by the Aquino administration, the DND could have already signed a contract with either Alenia Aerosspace for the C-27J as early as 1st quarter 2013.

Photo showing fuselage comparison between a C-130, C-27J, Antonov An-32, C-295, CN-235. Take note of the size differences and capability to take in different kinds of expected cargo like vehicles, goods and fighter aircraft engines. These cargo are expected to be carried by PAF medium lift transport aircraft as well.
Photo taken from militaryphotos.net c/o Hyde.

Bid opening was moved from October 14, 2013 to October 29, 2013 as indicated in the 1st Supplemental Bid Bulletin, as expected like other similar procurement of major defense equipment. So it would be best to see who are the final contenders for the next week. MaxDefense will post updates upon availability as the acquisition program progresses.

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Updates:

October 26, 2013: The bid submission and opening was moved from October 29, 2013 to November 11, 2013. This is according to the new Supplemental Bid Bulletin issued by the DND on October 21, 2013. No word if bidders requested the schedule change or if DND's decision.