Finland Joining Military Transport Plane Purchase

Finland has decided to take part in a joint purchase of large military transport planes along with Sweden and a number of NATO countries. A decision on taking part in the joint purchase was made at a meeting of the government's Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy and President Tarja Halonen on Tuesday. 
 
The countries involved in the joint purchase plan to buy three C-17 Globemaster III transport planes. The aim is to meet the air transport capability required by involvement in the European Union's crisis management activities. 
 
Another aim is to make sure that Finland does not find itself without the transport capacity that it needs in dealing with unexpected disasters such as the tsunami in Southeast Asia. 
 
Under the plan, the countries involved in the joint purchase would be entitled to use the transport capacity according to a fixed number of flight hours a year. Finland's annual needs were set at 100 hours a year. 
 
A joint project for the development of strategic air transport capability was set up by 15 different countries was launched in 2006. Finland has been an observer in the project since early last year, and as a full-fledged negotiating partner since last summer.

Finnish Broadcasting Company