Sept. 29, 2017 —
The first C-27J to enter the missionization process arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, Sept. 28, 2017. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Robert Sunderland.
The Coast Guard transferred one of its C-27J Spartan medium range surveillance aircraft, CGNR 2712, to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, Sept. 28 to become the prototype for C-27J missionization.
Missionization refers to the process of integrating specialized equipment, such as radar, sensors and processors, to enhance the aircraft’s effectiveness in carrying out Coast Guard missions. Upon missionization, each aircraft is redesignated as an HC-27J.
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is the lead systems integrator for the C-27J missionization. NAVAIR’s Naval Air Warfare Center – Aircraft Division AIRWorks team will provide programmatic and technical support to the Coast Guard and manage the integration process onsite at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. NAVAIR awarded a contract for engineering services related to C-27J missionization in March for mission system engineering and design support from the original equipment manufacturer to prepare for missionization.
“This is an important milestone in the program because missionization will bring increased capabilities to the C-27J fleet,” said Rick Seitz, medium range surveillance program manager.
The missionization process will begin in fiscal year 2018. “We have moved the 2712 to Naval Air Station Patuxent River early to give our AIRWorks partners an opportunity to get direct access to an aircraft to complete their installation design effort,” Seitz added.
CGNR 2712, the aircraft transferred to Patuxent River, was one of seven aircraft stationed at the HC-27J Asset Project Office in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Six aircraft are stationed at Air Station Sacramento, California; the final C-27J is planned to arrive at Elizabeth City from long-term storage later this fall.
For more information: Medium Range Surveillance Aircraft program page and Minotaur program page