The purpose-built facility will
provide critical training capabilities for our C-17 aircrews and is expected to
be operational later this year, when the simulator and other technical
components have been fully installed and certified.
The 1,438-square-meter complex
features a 14-meter-tall simulator bay at its core, integrated with an
adjoining structure that holds classroom areas, offices and workshops to
support the full scope of simulator trainings.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Mark
J. Lynch, Programme Manager of the NATO Airlift Management Programme,
emphasized that the facility is the product of dedicated teamwork and
cooperation. “This achievement reflects the efforts of a cross-functional team
that delivered a high-quality facility efficiently and effectively,” he said.
This strategic investment brings
new operational advantages to the SAC program, which with its C-17’s consistently
maintains one of the highest mission capability rates in the world. The
simulator will enhance training effectiveness by enabling crews to practice
complex emergency scenarios and malfunctions that cannot be safely simulated in
real aircraft operations. Input from HAW pilots and loadmasters played a
crucial role in tailoring the facility to meet mission-specific training needs.
Under global standards, C-17
pilots and loadmasters must complete simulator training at least once per
quarter. These sessions focus on emergency protocols and mission-specific
operations, such as airdrops, tactical takeoffs and landings, and aerial
refueling. Until now, crews have had to travel to the United States or the
United Kingdom for this training—requiring 20 to 35 days of travel annually per
pilot. To reduce this burden and strengthen mission readiness, SAC member
nations agreed to invest in a domestic solution: a dedicated simulator and
training facility at HDF 47th Air Base in Pápa, home to the SAC Program.
Construction works began with site
preparation in January 2024. The contractor was responsible for the complete
delivery of the facility, including the reinforced concrete structure,
mechanical and electrical systems, roadways, parking areas, walkways, and
landscaping. Designed with sustainability in mind, the building is outfitted
with clean energy solutions such as photovoltaic system electricity production,
solar panels for domestic hot water, heat pumps and eight electric vehicle
charging stations—paving the way for some of the program’s vehicles to be
replaced with electric alternatives in the future.
This new building marks the
latest in a series of strategic infrastructure developments in Pápa. Since
2008, the air base has seen the completion of the SAC Hangar Complex including
the C-17 aircraft maintenance hangar along with vehicle maintenance and
warehouse in addition with an HQ building (2016), a multifunctional cargo
handling facility with a cargo parachute drying tower (2024). And now the Aircrew
Training and Simulator Facility.
A comprehensive testing cycle
will now follow the handover, with the simulator and training facility planned
to become fully operational by the end of 2025. This capability will further
enhance SAC member nations’ commitment to global security and stability—ensuring
that its crews remain among the most capable and mission-ready in the world.