Norwegian Armed Forces Renews Long Standing Medevac Partnership with SAS Through 2027

SAS has today announced that their Medevac partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces has been extended through 2027, strengthening a civil–military collaboration that has become a vital part of Europe’s medical evacuation capacity.

SAS Renews Their Medevac Partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces Through 2027 - Courtesy SAS / Cision

On Friday (March 27, 2026), SAS announced that they have renewed their long-standing Medevac partnership with the Norwegian Armed Forces through 2027, strengthening a civil–military collaboration that has become a vital part of Europe’s medical evacuation capacity. The extension, approved by the Norwegian Government, ensures continued access to a highly specialized airborne medical service that has supported the transport of thousands of wounded and critically ill patients from the war in Ukraine.  The Medevac operation relies on close cooperation between SAS flight crews trained for complex medical evacuations, and specially trained medical personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services (NAFMS) who is leading the missions.

In Friday’s announcement, SAS’ President & CEO, Anko van der Werff, said,

“This mission has shaped SAS in a profound way. Operating an aircraft with this level of medical capability and readiness requires a combination of experience, precision and trust that is rare in commercial aviation.  Our crews bring an extraordinary sense of purpose to these flights, knowing that every mission directly impacts lives in a way few other operations do.  We are deeply grateful for the confidence placed in SAS to carry out work of this nature, and immensely proud of the professionalism and humanity our teams demonstrate every time they step into this role.”

Also commenting on the Medevac partnership extension, Norwegian Surgeon General, Brigadier General Petter Iversen, said,

“Building on the strong and successful partnership with SAS, Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services is pleased to continue providing essential support to Ukraine and EU.  This is also an excellent example of civil-military cooperation, which simultaneously strengthens our own health preparedness.”

At the Core of the Operation is a Specially Configured Boeing 737 Equipped with Beds, Intensive Care Capacity and Specialized Medical Infrastructure – Courtesy SAS / Cision

The joint Medevac operation is supported by a specially configured Boeing 737 equipped with beds, intensive care capacity and specialized medical infrastructure.  The aircraft can be rapidly adapted for different mission types and is maintained in close cooperation with the Norwegian Armed Forces to ensure continuous readiness.  Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this capability has played a central role in transporting thousands of wounded and critically ill Ukrainian patients from Poland to hospitals across Europe. The missions form part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and demonstrate the value of combining civilian aviation expertise with military medical competence.

Founded in 1946, SAS is the leading airline in Scandinavia, with main hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, and flying to 135 destinations across Europe, the U.S. and Asia.  Each year, SAS serves over 25 million passengers and transports around 60,000 tons of cargo, all facilitated by a passionate team of more than 10,000 colleagues.  The company aims to be a driving force in sustainable aviation and in the transition towards net zero emissions by 2050.  SAS also offers ground handling services, technical maintenance and air cargo services.  SAS officially joined the global SkyTeam airline alliance in September 2024, and together with their partner airlines offers a wide network worldwide.  On July 4, 2025, the Air France-KLM Group announced their intention to take a majority ownership stake in SAS, further expanding one of Europe’s leading aviation groups.

Source: SAS/Cision