(Sept. 19) – Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, is participating in the AFRICA Aerospace & Defence 2012 Airshow, ongoing until tomorrow at Waterkloof Air Base near Pretoria, South Africa. Alenia Aermacchi will feature its tactical transport aircraft, the C-27J. The C-27J, commercially successful on the African continent, with a first order for 4 units recently delivered to Morocco. At the South-African Airshow Alenia Aermacchi intends to promote the company’s products in tactical transport aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and a training for military pilots. The African market is also promising for the regional transport sector. Alenia Aermacchi’s joint venture companies, ATR and SuperJet International, are promoting their ATR 42 and ATR 72 and SSJ100 respectively. Alenia Aermacchi has a consolidated presence in the African market where, since the 1960’s, it has delivered over 750 airplanes to several air forces: SF-260 trainers, G.222 and C-27J tactical transport aircraft, not to mention the many ATRs in service with various local airlines. In South Africa in particular, Alenia Aermacchi has developed a strong industrial collaboration with the supply and production on licence by Atlas Aircraft Corp. (today Denel) of over 250 trainers and light-attack aircraft MB.326s in several versions, locally named Impala Mk I and Mk II.
