C-27J Selected by Lithuania; Spartan is the Choice for New NATO Nations.

WASHINGTON -- Today, Alenia North America's parent company, Alenia Aeronautica, signed a contract with the Republic of Lithuania for 3 C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. The selection by Lithuania confirms that the C-27J Spartan is the preferred aircraft of the new NATO countries as they modernize legacy fleets to meet NATO standards.

Unlike derivatives of commercial aircraft, the C-27J Spartan is a true multifunctional, military aircraft and is the most rugged, versatile, and survivable aircraft in its class. It was specifically designed to operate in remote and austere environments and provide the tactical utility necessary to support a wide variety of missions.

The Spartan is the latest in a long and successful tradition of airlifters, including the C-27A and the G-222, which have been deployed in support of military and humanitarian operations in Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia, Congo, Operations Desert Shield and Storm, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kosovo, Libya, Mali, Panama, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda, and Yemen. In addition, the C-27As are still being used successfully in South America in support of counter drug activities. The C-27J has proven capable of performing logistical re-supply, MEDEVAC, troop movement, airdrop operations, humanitarian assistance and missions in support of Homeland Security.

"Today's announcement, coupled with the signature last week of the Memorandum of Agreement between the U.S. Army and Air Force on the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program reconfirming the services interest in one platform strengthens our conviction that the C-27J is the best value solution," said Giuseppe Giordo, President and CEO of Alenia North America. "It is also the only aircraft that provides significant interoperability with existing airlift assets in both the U.S. Army and Air Force."

The C-27J JCA Team includes Alenia North America, Inc. (a Finmeccanica company), L-3 Communications Integrated Systems (L-3 IS), a subsidiary of L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL), Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (NYSE: BA), and Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS). The team has proposed the C-27J as the best value solution for the JCA program.

The JCA is a fixed wing airlift platform that will perform airlift missions in support of the Joint Force Commander. The JCA program is essential to the U.S. Army's ability to provide on-demand transport of time-sensitive/mission critical cargo and key personnel to forward deployed Army units. The C-27J JCA Team is offering C-27J multi-mission cargo aircraft solution that will fill the current capability gap in joint aerial delivery based on its ability to transport critical cargo and personnel, self-deploy over strategic distances, land in austere locations, operate autonomously, and provide routine and combat aerial sustainment to the joint force.

The C-27J Spartan has been selected by Greece, Italy, Bulgaria and now Lithuania. The C-27J is also under evaluation in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Ireland, Malaysia, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Taiwan and the United States.

About Alenia North America

Alenia North America's mission is to further expand the industrial and commercial presence of the Alenia Group in North America and it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica. Alenia North America Inc. is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Seattle, Washington; Long Beach, California; and Fort Worth, Texas. Alenia North America - Canada, a subsidiary wholly owned by Alenia North America, has offices in Ottawa, Canada. Alenia North America is also a shareholder in several joint venture companies located in the United States. Global Aeronautica, a joint venture with Vought Aircraft Company, located in North Charleston, South Carolina, which performs significant integration and sub assembly work for the Boeing 787 program. Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS), a joint venture with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, is a center of excellence to support the C-27J in North America. GMAS is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama.

Alenia Aeronautica, headquartered in Rome, Italy is a company of the Finmeccanica Group. Alenia Aeronautica has revenues in excess of 2.046 billion Euros and a total work force of more 10,500 employees. Its main activities comprise design and production of commercial and military aircraft, design and production of aerostructures for military and civil aircraft and through Alenia Aeronavali, a wholly owned subsidiary, the overall maintenance and modification of military and civil aircraft. Alenia Aeronautica is a partner of and cooperates with the major global aerospace groups, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus, EADS, Dassault, BAE Systems and Vought.