NSPA modernises Pápa Air Base infrastructure in Hungary

The completion of the project is the result of a Sales Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of Hungary and NSPA. During the first phase, completed in June 2020, NSPA provided Pápa Air Base with a state-of-the-art athletic field, a cross-running track, a football field, and a new bicycle access point to the Base. The new facilities are now open for use by the personnel of Hungarian Defence Forces Pápa Air Base and by the personnel and community of the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC).

The second phase of the project focused on the renovation or reconstruction of Air Base roads and provided a new railway crossing, pedestrian crossings, bicycle lanes, a LED road lighting system, and an improved drainage system among others. Reconstruction started less than a year ago, in August 2019.

The new traffic infrastructure not only allows commuters, both Pápa Air Base and Strategic Airlift Capability employees, to arrive at work in a safer and more convenient manner, but will significantly increase the logistics capacity of both the Hungarian Defence Forces and the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC), which operates three Boeing C-17-s for heavy airlift.

Since 2009, Pápa Air Base has been the Main Operating Base of the SAC C-17 aircraft and is home for the 65 NSPA employees that work for the NATO Airlift Management Programme Office (NAM PO). The NAM PO is responsible for the full life-cycle management of the three Boeing Globemaster C-17 aircraft stationed at the Air Base, including acquisition and sustainment on behalf of the 12 Member Nations of the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC).