August 21, 2007: 11:03 AM EST
MILAN, Aug. 21, 2007 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Finmeccanica SpA expects to receive orders for some 10 C-27J Spartan tactical transport planes by the end of the year from an Eastern European country, said Giovanni Bertolone, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica, a unit of Finmeccanica.
The C-27J is produced by Alenia North America, Boeing (NYSE:BA) and L-3 Communications. (NYSE:LLL)
'After Greece, Bulgaria and Lithuania we got an order from Romania; we are in the race in other Eastern European countries, and we are well-placed so it can become a NATO standard,' Bertolone said.
'We are expecting another contract by the end of the year with a country in Eastern Europe for some 10 planes,' he added, noting that there is interest also in other parts of the world, 'in the Middle East, Australia and I think soon also Canada.'
Bertolone said that getting an order from the US was crucial to gain interest from Canada.
In June, the US armed forces signed a preliminary order for 78 C-27Js with the objective of buying a total of 207 planes as part of the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) programme that is worth 6 bln usd.
'I think that this type of plane satisfies the needs the Canadians have for search and rescue missions. I think it (the order) will materialize,' he said.
Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-19039976.htm
MILAN, Aug. 21, 2007 (Thomson Financial delivered by Newstex) -- Finmeccanica SpA expects to receive orders for some 10 C-27J Spartan tactical transport planes by the end of the year from an Eastern European country, said Giovanni Bertolone, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica, a unit of Finmeccanica.
The C-27J is produced by Alenia North America, Boeing (NYSE:BA) and L-3 Communications. (NYSE:LLL)
'After Greece, Bulgaria and Lithuania we got an order from Romania; we are in the race in other Eastern European countries, and we are well-placed so it can become a NATO standard,' Bertolone said.
'We are expecting another contract by the end of the year with a country in Eastern Europe for some 10 planes,' he added, noting that there is interest also in other parts of the world, 'in the Middle East, Australia and I think soon also Canada.'
Bertolone said that getting an order from the US was crucial to gain interest from Canada.
In June, the US armed forces signed a preliminary order for 78 C-27Js with the objective of buying a total of 207 planes as part of the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) programme that is worth 6 bln usd.
'I think that this type of plane satisfies the needs the Canadians have for search and rescue missions. I think it (the order) will materialize,' he said.
Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-19039976.htm