Possible opportunities for cross-national Strategic Aeromedical Evacuation between the US Air Force and the EATC Partner Nations.
This April 23rd and 24th a delegation from US AFRICOM visited the EATC Aeromedical Evacuation Control Centre (AECC).
The scope of the visit was to investigate possible ways to execute cross-national Aeromedical Evacuations between the US Air Force and the EATC Partner Nations.
US troops are constantly engaged on the African continent in support missions and US transport aircrafts are occasionally using airports where soldiers of EATC partner nations are deployed.
On the other hand, for the transport and evacuation of military patients via aircraft, a team of flight surgeons is permanently available at the EATC.
This would give the opportunity for an exchange of services.
The scope of the AECC is to provide synergistic effects by repatriating patients in cross-national flights, meaning that a patient is transported by an aircraft of another (EATC partner) nation.
In order to provide the best possible medical care to the patients, the EATC AECC can task several assets from the different EATC Partner Nations. Depending on the type of injury or disease, a PTU (patient transport unit equipped with monitoring, respirator, medication etc. for intensive care) or a basic stretcher can be used for the evacuation.
PTUs are available in the Belgian Embraer ERJ-135 and ERJ-145, in the French Falcon DA 900 and Boeing KC-135 (System MORPHEE) or the German Airbus A310, A319, A340, Global 5000 and C-160 Transall. Belgium just acquired 2 pallet-based PTUs to be used on C-130 and future A400M.
Basic stretchers can be installed in the Belgian, Dutch and French C130, the Belgian A321, the French and German Airbus A310, in the French Falcon DA 900,the German and French Transall C-160 as well as in the French Casa CN-235.
Find the article concerning the EATC Aeromedical Control Centre here.
Words: Pascal Ballinger
Pictures: EATC / Pascal Ballinger