On March 4, the Norwegian Armed Forces signed a new agreement with SAS for strategic air transport. The agreements ensure continued capacity as the Boeing 737 aircraft is phased out in 2025 and replaced by the Airbus A320neo. The agreement consists of a cooperation agreement for developing solutions for the new aircraft type, as well as an operations and readiness agreement, according to press releases from the Norwegian Armed Forces and Scandinavian Airlines.

– We are honored that the Norwegian Armed Forces have chosen SAS for future evacuation missions, which are based on several years of joint missions worldwide. Contributing to the safe transport of citizens across the globe when crisis strikes is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we are grateful for the trust the Norwegian Armed Forces place in us through this work, says Paul Verhagen, Chief Commercial Officer at SAS, in the company's press release.

– With this agreement, the capacity for evacuation and repatriation of sick or wounded civilians and military personnel, including intensive care patients, is strengthened during national and international operations, to and from airports on all continents, says Brigadier General Anders Jernberg, head of the Armed Forces Logistics Organization, in the agency's press release.