Multinational Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) (i.e. long-range air transportation capabilities) agreement entailing joint procurement of three C-17 „Boeing Globemaster III" was signed by ten NATO members (Bulgaria, Estonia, USA, Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovenia, Hungary) and two NATO partners - Finland and Sweden. The agreement came into force in 2008. As party to the C-17 agreement Lithuania acquired the right to 45 flight hours per year for national transportations to mission areas. Lithuania's SAC flights are invoked for transportation of large scale and heavy weight military shipments and for ensuring logistic support to ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Strategic Airlift Capability assets may also be called in for redeployment of Lithuanian military units assigned for NRF into operation theatre if a decision to activate them is made. Lithuania's contribution to C-17 project also strengthens NATO Strategic Airlift Capability.
All the three C-17 purchased under the joint project are deployed in Papa Air Base, Hungary. Airlift assets are operated by multinational crews, including a representative of Lithuania.
C-17 is capable of deploying large number of troops (up to 150) without landing and transport extra-heavy weight cargo (maximum load - 78 t).
Multilateral strategic airlift assets were first invoked to transport humanitarian assistance shipment to earthquake-devastated Haiti.
POC - PR Officer of LAF Joint Headquarters Capt Marius Varna, cell phone + 370 686 35 407.
Picture - MoND archive (2009)
