STRATEGIC AIRLIFT CAPABILITY MOVES TO
IMPLEMENTATION
This
week, the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) took a big step forward after the
12 SAC nations completed signature of the SAC Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU). The MOU
brought into force the Charter of the NATO Airlift Management Organisation
(NAMO). The NAMO will acquire three C-17 aircraft to meet strategic airlift requirements of the
SAC member nations - 10 NATO members and two non-NATO countries, PfP and EU
members Sweden and
Finland.
“The SAC will provide an important new capability to address the
critical alliance need for strategic airlift to support operations in
Afghanistan and elsewhere, as well as other national missions, including EU and
UN missions,” said Peter Flory, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense
Investment. “It can also provide a
model for future capability development.”
Creation of the NAMO caps two years of negotiations within NATO and
among SAC participants covering issues related to establishing the NAMO and
manning, equipping, basing and operating the fleet. Launched in September 2006, the
consortium has evolved to its current configuration of twelve participants, but
remains open for other NATO and PfP nations to join in the
future.
The C-17 fleet will be based at Papa Airbase in
Hungary, and the planes will be certified
and registered by the host nation.
SAC programme acquisition and sustainment will be managed by NAMO, a NATO
Production and Logistics Organisation (NPLO) with a Board of Directors and the
NATO Airlift Management Agency (NAMA).
To operate the C-17s, a Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) will be created
under the initial command of a US Air Force officer with a Swedish Deputy
Commander. The HAW will be manned
by international crews assigned by the participating nations and will conduct
missions based on national requirements.
These missions may be related to NATO-led operations, EU or UN missions,
and other international purposes (e.g. humanitarian or disaster relief
efforts).
The aircraft will be of the same configuration
as those operated by the US Air Force and other C-17 nations
(Australia,
Canada and
Great
Britain), and crews will be trained to the same basic
standards. The first aircraft is
anticipated to be delivered in Spring 2009, and the second and third aircraft
are expected to arrive at Papa in Summer
2009.
The SAC is a significant step forward in the
ability of NATO nations to respond to a critical shortfall in
Alliance capabilities. It has been made possible by nations
working together, pooling resources and sharing costs to develop a collective
capability beyond the reach of, or not practical for, many nations
individually. The participation of
Sweden and
Finland represents a tangible example of
NATO-Partner cooperation.
For further information please contact Mr. Jim Lovell, Head of Air
Defence and Airspace Management Directorate, Defence Investment Division of NATO
HQ – tel. +32 2 707 4763 or NATO Press
Service.