Army Times reported seven C27J’s will be transferred to SOCOM. The C27J was originally an Army program that was given to the Air Force with the understanding the aircraft would be flown by the Air Force for the Army.  After getting the aircraft the Air Force determined the aircraft was too expensive to fly and is in the process of mothballing brand new aircraft.   The waste was necessary to further the Air Force’s longtime efforts at keeping the Army from operating any fixed wing aircraft.

In an ironic twist the US Army Special Operations Command will be operating the seven C27Js for parachute training.  It is possible more of the mothballed planes may be resurrected under SOCOM/Army ownership as well as the potential of outfitting the C27J Spartan as a light gunship.  One can only hope that some of these mothballed aircraft will enter the Army inventory to lighten the mission load and higher operating costs of CH47’s for intratheatre lift freeing CH47s for other missions.