NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

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The C-17 Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC), based in Hungary, is a multinational initiative delivering a vital capability to the Alliance. It allows the ten participating NATO Allies and two partner nations to collectively own assets that would be prohibitively expensive to purchase individually.

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The multinational Strategic Airlift Capability Program was launched in 2008 in order to acquire three C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes, to meet the strategic airlift requirements of the participating nations. The SAC C-17 aircraft can be made available through the SAC nations for NATO, EU, UN missions, and for other international purposes.

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Twelve nations participate in the Strategic Airlift Capability. They include ten NATO nations (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Romania and the United States), and two partner countries (Finland and Sweden).

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These twelve nations have pooled resources and shared capital investment in order to acquire, manage and jointly operate a fleet of three Boeing manufactured C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The Main Operating Base for the Strategic Airlift Capability is located in Pápa, Hungary.

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Since the arrival of the first aircraft at Papa Air Base, in July 2009, the SAC Heavy Airlift Wing has flown over 5,000 flight hours and delivered more than 25,000 tons of cargo, as well as nearly 13,000 passengers for the nations, and this to six continents. SAC achievements to date include missions in support of ISAF and KFOR operations, for humanitarian relief activities in Haiti and Pakistan, and for peacekeeping efforts in Africa.

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With a payload of 170,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less. The C-17 is equipped with an externally blown flap system that allows a steep, low-speed final approach and low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings.

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Through the use of advanced digital avionics and a state of the art cargo system, a standard crew of two pilots and one loadmaster can safely operate the C-17.

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In the cargo compartment, the C-17 can carry wheeled military vehicles in two side-by-side rows.

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The NATO Airlift Management Agency (NAMA) is responsible for the acquisition and full life cycle management sustainment of the Strategic Airlift Capability C-17 aircraft and related assets.