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Nato close to obtaining C-17s |
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Monday, 18 August 2008 |
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Member nations of Nato are close to agreeing on a new initiative that will see smaller countries share the use of three C-17 airlifters.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) is close to gaining access to three C-17 Globemaster III airlifters, which will be shared among its various member nations and deployed on missions in Afghanistan, it has been revealed.
Nato officials explained that the new initiative will see C-17s being shared by member states which do not need to have their own C-17s on standby all the time.
The initiative, called Strategic Air Capability (SAC), allows 12 Nato members and two partners to use the aircraft's capabilities at a low fixed rate.
At 1,000 flight hours a year, the C-17 has a life expectancy of 30 years, and can travel 2,400 nautical miles with a full payload, reaching altitudes of up to 28,000 feet.
Earlier this month, Boeing announced that it is to provide aircrew training systems to the United States Air Force for its C-17 programme.
The aircraft manufacturer will provide training, modeling and simulation services to air mobility command and air force reserves command C-17 crew members. |
