NEW STEP IN THE STRATEGIC
AIRLIFT CAPABILITY PROJECT
The Defence Ministers of the Strategic Airlift
Capability nations met at NATO Headquarters to review progress and map the way
forward to meet the goal of receiving the first aircraft in November 2008.
The fifteen SAC nations, including two Partner
nations[1], have agreed to purchase 3 C-17 strategic airlift
aircraft for use by participating nations to meet national airlift requirements,
including for NATO and EU missions.
Today’s meeting was highlighted by the
signature of the Netherlands of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to
govern the purchase and operation of the aircraft.
Slovenia and the United Stated announced that they
have also recently signed the MOU. These nations joined
Bulgaria,
Hungary,
Lithuania and
Sweden who had previously signed. Other SAC
nations are in the process of national procedures for approval and signature of
the MOU and are expected to join the signatories by the end of
June.
The Strategic Airlift Capability fleet will
be based at Papa Airbase in Hungary and managed by the NATO Airlift Management
Organisation. The current planning calls for delivery of the first aircraft in
November 2008 with delivery of aircraft 2 and 3 in early and mid 2009
respectively.
When fielded the SAC will provide a critical capability
and address a serious shortfall in national airlift capabilities. The organization remains open to other
nations
For more information on the SAC please contact, Mr.
James Lovell, Defence Investment Division, NATO HQ, +32.2.707.4763.
__________________
The fifteen nations comprising the
Strategic Airlift Capability are Bulgaria, the
Czech
Republic,
Estonia,
Finland,
Hungary,
Italy,
Latvia,
Lithuania, the
Netherlands,
Norway,
Poland,
Romania,
Slovenia,
Sweden and the
United
States.