The Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) is the first multinational initiative in the world that aims at maximizing military strategic airlift capability through the sharing of resources and pooling of capacity. It is a conglomerate of twelve partnering nations, independent of international organizations and command structures. Military strategic airlift is carried out by a fleet of three Boeing Globemaster III C-17-s. Read more about the Member Nations.

SAC C-17-s are owned jointly by the 12 Member Nations. They share operational and maintenance costs in ratio of annual flight hours allocated to each Member Nation. Read more about governance of the SAC.

SAC C-17-s are registered in Hungary, therefore although they fly under Hungarian insignia, they are not part of the Hungarian Defense Forces air fleet. Hungary is the Host Nation to the Heavy Airlift Wing, the operating military unit of the Strategic Airlift Capability. Hungarian Defense Forces Pápa Air Base hosts the Strategic Airlift Capability, its operational arm, the Heavy Airlift Wing, and its fleet, the three C-17-s. Hungary is a Member Nation of the Strategic Airlift Capability. Hungary has 50 hours available annually to use the C-17-s.

Member Nations staff the Heavy Airlift Wing proportionally to their allocated annual flight hours. All 12 Member Nations are represented in the military unit of the SAC. Regardless of the requestor or the destination of a mission, nationalities of Heavy Airlift Wing military carrying out the mission is mixed. Read more about the Heavy Airlift Wing.

A Boeing Globemaster III C-17 is a long-range military cargo aircraft. The Strategic Airlift Capability has three of them. Read more about its versatility here.