Scandinavian Airlines and the Norwegian Armed Forces have renewed their Medevac agreement, keeping a specially configured Boeing 737 on standby through 2027 for medical evacuation missions tied to the war in Ukraine.
The extension, approved by the Norwegian government, has been formalized with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency. It should ensure continued access to a civil-military capability that has transported more than 3,500 wounded and critically ill patients since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
SAS crews operate alongside medical personnel from the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services (NAFMS) in a partnership that has spanned more than 25 years, though the Ukraine evacuation operation has defined its most operationally intense chapter. The missions are conducted under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, with patients transported to hospitals across Europe.
At the center of the operation is a Boeing 737-700 converted into a flying hospital. The aircraft features 18 hospital beds, including three intensive care units, plus 39 seats, allowing teams to adapt to each mission’s specific medical requirements. Flight routes must be regularly adjusted due to the evolving security situation, adding to the logistical complexity of each mission.
“This mission has shaped SAS in a profound way,” said Anko van der Werff, President and CEO of SAS, in a statement. “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.”
Norwegian Surgeon General Brigadier General Petter Iversen described the operation as a model of civil-military cooperation that simultaneously strengthens Norway’s own health preparedness.
In May 2025, to mark the 80th anniversary of Norway’s liberation, 24 SAS employees, including six pilots, twelve cabin crew members, two flight coordinators and four engineers, received the Norwegian Armed Forces Medal for International Operations for their work on the Medevac program.
Norwegian Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre said in the announcement on March 27, 2026, that the operation represents a total defense collaboration spanning the armed forces, the health sector and the private sector.
