Home  /  Newsroom  /  News  /  News 2020  /  COVID-19 Emergency Response Mission in support to Romania

Mar 26 2020

COVID-19 Emergency Response Mission in support to Romania


Pápa, 26 March 2020 – On 26 March a C-17 aircraft landed at 09:00 local time in Otopeni Military Air Force Base, Bucharest, carrying about 45 tons of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets to help Romania tackle the current coronavirus crisis.


The flight was arranged by the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) in response to an emergency requirement to transport protective medical equipment from Seoul, South Korea. 72 hours after receiving the request, SAC-01, one of the three Boeing Globemaster C17-s, was ready to take off from the Pápa Air Base, in Hungary.

The 100,000 sets of protective medical equipment will be issued by the Romanian government to supply the contingent fighting COVID-19 in the front line.

This SAC mission in support to Romania, together with the SALIS missions executed in support to Czechia and Slovakia reassures the value of strategic airlift capabilities. The three NATO nations are making use of their flight hours to transfer medical equipment and other supplies during the COVID19 crisis.

COVID-19 Emergency Response Mission in support to Romania
Cargo loaded at Otopeni Military Air Force Base. Credits: Adrian Sultanoiu.

About Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC)

The Strategic Airlift Capability is a multinational programme that provides assured access to strategic military airlift capability for its 12 member nations, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United States of America.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) manages the full life cycle management of the three Globemaster C-17 aircraft stationed at Pápa Airbase, including acquisition and sustainment. Mission execution is the sole responsibility of the operational arm of the SAC, the multinational military unit, the Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW).

Find us on