On July 27 in a ceremony that was covered by a host of journalists representing printed and broadcasting media in Hungary and abroad alike, the C–17 fleet of NATO’s Strategic Airlift Capability initiative was fielded at Papa Airbase. On this occasion, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero joined Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai as well as Minister of Defense Dr.Imre Szekeres. After the ceremony senior political and military leaders as well as journalists attended a static display of the C-17 transport aircraft bearing the Hungarian serial number SAC PÁPA 01.

At 10 a.m. on Monday a company of the HDF Parade Battalion welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, Minister of Defense Dr.Imre Szekeres as well as General László Tömböl, Chief of Defense Staff of the HDF. Then participants had their first view of the C-17 bearing a Hungarian serial number taxiing on the tarmac of the military airfield. This transport aircraft is the first of a fleet of three that will be operated by the Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW), which comprises a C2 section, a logistics company as well as the heavy airlift squadron. The total personnel strength of the Heavy Airlift Wing will be 131. When the Heavy Airlift Wing reaches full operational readiness, the unit will have the capability to perform the full spectrum of airlift tasks and missions, including air refueling, airdrops of cargo and personnel under ordinary and adverse weather conditions during day light and night time operations alike. The Heavy Airlift Wing was established in the framework of the Strategic Airlift Capability initiative (SAC) by 10 NATO nations and 2 Partnership for Peace partner nations to perform long-range military airlift missions to distant locations worldwide.

The Heavy Airlift Wing was activated during the ceremony on Monday at Papa Airbase. The C-17 fleet fielding ceremony was attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai who said : “security and the lack of security have been in the focus of our attention recently. History teaches us that new types of military challenges are bound to crop up at the time of economic crises, since countries with a high level of instability are tempted to seek external conflicts to resolve their internal instability problems”. The Prime Minister added that it was exactly ten years ago that Hungary along with Poland and the Czech Republic joined the Alliance that provides the strongest security umbrella to its members all over the world. These nations’ accession to NATO was not only a significant event from the foreign and the security policy points of view, but viewed against a historical perspective the alliance between Central European nations and the Trans-Atlantic Alliance was one of the greatest endeavors that nations in this region launched and they actually accomplished. – Today twelve nations enhanced their relations even further within the framework of a NATO project. Consequently, we might as well refer to this day as a day of historic importance. We highly appreciate the outstanding cooperation among nations that facilitated the implementation of the Strategic Airlift Capability program. As a result of such cooperation one of the most advanced transport aircraft will serve our common security as of today, said Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai, who also added that this was only the first aircraft that would be followed by other members of the SAC fleet. These aircraft will be used to create peace and security. NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero stated that on this day a vision, a dream came true and the attainment of a common objective of twelve nations was officially recognized. Nations that participate in this program pooled their efforts to develop a capability that is of vital importance for our security in the present and in the future alike. The Deputy Secretary General of NATO said that less than three years had passed since the signing of the related letter of intent. On this day participants in the ceremony witnessed the success of a longstanding effort and the most advanced transport aircraft, operated by a multinational crew, would bear a Hungarian registration number on its tail. U.S. Air Force Brig.Gen. Richard Johnston, chairman of the SAC Steering Board said that the vital importance of strategic airlift was evident in light of the security challenges of the 21st century. The sheer realization of the significance of strategic airlift encouraged participating nations to adopt a conscious approach to meeting their own genuine national airlift requirements and to meeting the needs of ISAF and EU battle groups, crisis response and humanitarian operations in this way. The wide range of potential missions comprises all the air transport needs and requirements of twelve participating nations.

Dr.Imre Szekeres, Minister of Defense handed over the HAW flag to Brig.Gen. Richard Johnston, who immediately transferred it to HAW Commander, Col. John Zazworsky. The Certificate of Activation of the Heavy Airlift Wing was read out loud as follows : “We hereby announce the activation of the multinational Heavy Airlift Wing at Papa Airbase, the Republic of Hungary as of July 27, 2009”

In his speech COL.John D. Zazworsky, Commander of the Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) stated that this day was a milestone in the history of the Strategic Airlift Capability initiative. Less than a year after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding participants in the ceremony gathered at Papa Airbase to celebrate the last milestone. Soldiers of our nations established the Heavy Airlift Wing, which comprises a team of aviation pioneers. COL. Zazworsky expressed his gratitude to the Mayor of Papa as well as to COL. Miklós Domonkos, Commander of Papa Airbase for the warm welcome personnel of the HAW unit received both in town and at the air base. The Commander said that soldiers of twelve nations had been working as members of a team in Papa for almost one year, they met formidable challenges and they were looking forward to new ones. The ultimate objective of the team was to maintain and operate the newly delivered aircraft so that it can fly strategic airlift missions on a long-term basis.