NATO, EU lease strategic airlift aircraft

[Resurrection]

Deputy Secretary General Minuto Rizzo travelled to Leipzig, Germany, on 23 March, for a ceremony to mark the entry into force of a multinational contract on a Strategic Airlift Interim Solution. The event was hosted by German Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung, since Germany has taken the lead on this initiative.

Thanks to a multinational contract, Russian and Ukrainian Antonov aircraft are to be used as an interim solution to meet shortfalls in European strategic airlift capabilities, pending deliveries of Airbus A400M aircraft, expected to start in 2010.

On 23 January, 15 NATO countries signed a contract with Ruslan SALIS GmbH, a subsidiary of the Russian company Volga Dnepr, based in Leipzig. The 15 original signatories – Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom – were joined by Sweden on 23 March.

The contract provides for two AN-124-100 aircraft on full-time charter, two more on six days notice and another two on nine days notice. This multinational arrangement allows the countries participating in the Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) programme to meet commitments to strengthen capabilities in both the NATO and EU frameworks.

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[Lt-Col A. Tack]

Strategic Airlift Interim Solution?

Why couldn't NATO just buy or lease some C-17s? Production is scheduled to end in 2008.

Britain has just purchased a few that were on lease. I hear a sale to the Netherlands is pending.

[JoaMei]

Strategic Airlift Interim Solution?

Why couldn't NATO just buy or lease some C-17s? Production is scheduled to end in 2008.

Britain has just purchased a few that were on lease. I hear a sale to the Netherlands is pending.

Because they didnt want to? p-)

[Resurrection]

The Swedish military wants at least two if I'm not mistaken.

[Sergei]

Strategic Airlift Interim Solution?

Why couldn't NATO just buy or lease some C-17s? Production is scheduled to end in 2008.

Britain has just purchased a few that were on lease. I hear a sale to the Netherlands is pending.


hehe, maybe because one Ruslan (AN-124) can lift what five C-17 can? :)

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

Because they didnt want to? p-)
Maybe it's because of a little anti-American sentiment?

[Lt-Col A. Tack]

hehe, maybe because one Ruslan (AN-124) can lift what five C-17 can? :)
Then why aren't more people buying them? Bet they require a longer runway than the C-17.
If they want big, just us a C-5.

[Freestyler]

because production of the antonov an-124 ended some years ago and will start again in 2008 (??) :roll: and by the way: 1 c-17 costs about 300 million us-dollar - you can buy more than 4 an-124 for that price.

[futurepilot2004]

Then why aren't more people buying them? Bet they require a longer runway than the C-17.
If they want big, just us a C-5.
Cost. Eventhough they`re far cheaper than c-17s, their cost puts them out of reach of most countries. Lots of countries lease them for military operations.

[Michael RVR]

The C-5's are falling apart and the production line has long since ended, regardless.

[signatory]

Countries don't just buy these things with a briefcase full of cash... Boeing has alot more to offer in terms of offsets, payment plans, world wide service centers, etc etc yada yada so while leasing AN-124 or C-17's is attractive for a short-term role it's not favourable among most nations as their long-term solution. If I'm not mistaken, Italy is leasing c-17 while they wait for their A400M's.