The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential $150 million foreign military sale of maintenance and related equipment for NATO’s C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale on Friday. The services will be for aircraft on the alliance’s Strategic Airlift Capability program launched in 2008. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency’s requirements include contractor logistics support for the program, including engineering and technical services. Globemaster manufacturer Boeing of Arlington, Virginia, is the deal’s principal contractor, DSCA said.
According to NSPA, the foreign military sale supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives and improves the security the SAC program brings to NATO countries, promoting northern Atlantic political stability and economic growth. The alliance’s Heavy Airlift Wing has C-17s in its fleet.
Previous SAC missions included earthquake relief missions to Turkey in February, with 340 tons of equipment and personnel delivered to the country on behalf of Finland, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden and the United States.