Multinational consortium celebrates milestone of first C-17

  • Published
  • By Maj. Cristin Marposon
  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe Public Affairs
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AFNS) --  Twelve nations simultaneously came a step closer to fulfilling their national strategic airlift requirements today as a single C-17 Globemaster III reached a key manufacturing milestone here.

Officials associated with the first-of-its kind strategic airlift capability, or SAC, consortium of 10 NATO and two Partnership for Peace nations gathered at Boeing's final assembly facility to witness the "major join" ceremony. 

In the ceremony, the four major fuselage sections of the consortium's first C-17, SAC1, were literally joined together for the first time. 

While the "major join" marks the coming together of an airframe, the unique SAC program represents the coming together of 12 nations committed to the belief that by working together, pooling resources and fairly sharing the cost burdens of strategic airlift as one consortium, partner nations will achieve greater efficiencies in defense investment and operational capacity than otherwise possible.

"These are exciting times for the 12 nations charged to take this program from concept to reality," said Brig. Gen. Richard C. Johnston in his multinational role as SAC Steering Board chairman. The general also serves as director of plans, programs and analyses at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe. 

"The global strategic airlift missions to be flown by this aircraft and the other two to follow will demonstrate worldwide the strength that comes when sovereign nations join together to achieve what each couldn't have done alone," he said. 

One of those sovereign nations, the Republic of Hungary, played a significant role in the "major join" ceremony given the country has provided Papa air base as the main operating base for the program and will serve as the flag nation in registering the SAC aircraft.

"SAC is a great example to see that cooperation and mutual finance strengthen capabilities and efficiency both within NATO and within two European Union countries outside NATO," said Hungarian Minister of Defense Dr. Imre Szekeres. "This is a model for future cooperation."

Following the consortium's memorandum of understanding becoming effective in the fall of 2008, the program has rapidly taken shape as the Heavy Airlift Wing, the SAC program's multinational operational unit, at Papa air base, where this first of three C-17s will find its home come July.

"We have more than 70 airmen and families from the SAC nations working and living in Papa, and our personnel strength grows each week," said Col. John Zazworsky, a U.S. Air Force officer and the Heavy Airlift Wing's first commander. "With loadmasters and pilots from several of the participating nations already in training, we are on course for multinational flight operations as planned this summer."

The various commanders within the heavy airlift wing are representative of the SAC participating nations, which include Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States. The Heavy Airlift Wing will eventually be composed of roughly 140 personnel from these nations.

"The multinational composition of the wing -- and the community it has generated -- makes Papa a very unique and dynamic environment," said Col. Fredrik Heden, a senior Swedish air force officer and the Heavy Airlift Wing vice commander. "We have learned and will continue to learn so much from one another, which will in turn strengthen our partnership and friendships."

SAC nations have invested in the program in terms of numbers of flight hours, and will jointly operate the C-17s to fulfill national requirements, including support to the European Union, the United Nations and NATO, particularly in Afghanistan.

"Strategic airlift is critical in responding to today's global challenges," said Peter Flory, NATO assistant secretary general for defence investment. "SAC1 represents a big step forward in strengthening our ability to support NATO, the EU, the United Nations and other military, humanitarian, disaster-relief, and peacekeeping missions around the world."

In support of the SAC program, Boeing will provide contractor logistics support, including material management and depot maintenance support, to the Heavy Airlift Wing through the Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership. 

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