NATO Nations Turn To Ukraine, Russia For Airlift

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- NATO nations are turning to a Russian-Ukrainian joint venture to help make up for a chronic shortage of large aircraft able to ferry troops and heavy equipment to troublespots.

The Antonov-124
The alliance will hold a ceremony in the east German city of Leipzig on Thursday to mark the start of an accord giving it access at a few days' notice to six Antonov-124 Ruslan aircraft.

"We are very happy with the deal. This gives us assured access to outsized cargo lift," said Bruneau Cantin, head of logistics at NATO's International Staff in Brussels.

"We have no security concerns. This will be subject to the usual international standards for commercial agreements of this kind," he added, asked whether NATO had qualms about relying on former Cold War foes for key strategic equipment.

Cantin declined to give financial details of the agreement between 16 countries and Ruslan Salis, a German unit of Russia's Volga-Dnepr Group. Ukraine's Antonov Design Bureau, designer of the Antonov-124s, is also involved in the accord, he said.

The 16 countries that will benefit from the agreement are: Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, Britain, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and non-NATO Sweden and Finland.

Cantin said nations would be able to decide whether they used the planes for NATO, European Union or national missions.

Two of the Antonovs will be based in Leipzig, available at three days' notice. Four will be based in either Ukraine or Russia and will be ready within 6-9 days.

The United States has more than 200 strategic lift aircraft but among its European allies only Britain, with four leased Boeing C-17s, has a similar capability.

Most European countries have static or falling defence budgets and have been wondering for years how to boost their collective airlift capability.

Britain has urged European partners to come up with ideas for increasing their lift capacity before a NATO summit in October, exploring commercial leasing, chartering or other options.

Source: Reuters