NATO has marked 10 years since the Alliance’s fleet of C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft made their maiden flight.
Under NATO’s Strategic Airlift Capability, 10 Allies (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and the United States) and two partners (Finland and Sweden) pooled resources to buy and share a fleet of three Globemaster heavy transport aircraft.
Demand for airlift has been consistently high as Allied forces engage in operations around the world. Over the past decade the SAC planes have flown more than 2,500 missions, moving over 79,000 tons of cargo and around 130,000 passengers.
The Alliance say that flights have supported NATO operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Libya, as well as humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti and Pakistan.
The Globemaster is a large transport aircraft capable of carrying 77,000 kilograms of cargo over 4,450 kilometres. The multinational Globemaster air wing operates out of Pápa airbase in Hungary, about 130 kilometres west of Budapest.
Only 3. And I’m surprised USA is a partner, not like they need to share resources to afford 3 globemasters.
I’d guess as they designed the aircraft, and have the experience and know how, so can assist these smaller allies with limited experience in operating large aircraft.
Otherwise of course no need with the vast resources of the USAF available.
Yeah they are probably taking a leading role in the project.
The US was the driving force in SALIS set up. They pretty much donated one of their C-17 to it to get it off the ground, hence their involvement. They have a 33% share of aircraft hours so to all intents and purposes they retain the use of 1 C-17, but their involvement is crucial to making the system work.