The third one is leasing Globemasters and then waiting for our Hercules, if I understand the question.
I wasn't actually aware that we could lease Globemasters, and the United States didn't offer that when we put out our proposal. Waiting for Hercules is very challenging because of the rate at which they are dying. We really do need to be at contract as soon as possible for a replacement to our Hercules.
The leasing option is challenging as well because it truly isn't a permanent solution to long-haul strategic airlift, which effectively in that business is jet aircraft that can carry at least two armoured vehicles trans-Atlantic or several hops over the Pacific, or something. I think the minister and the chief articulated on Tuesday some great advantages to owning a small and highly valuable component that is strategic.
I know our air staff has done a lot of analysis, and they feel the optimal balance is that small piece of about four, with about 17 tactical air lifters. It actually does give you the capability, if you have a surge, to use our strategic lines of communications agreement with the United States Air Force to access their capacity or to actually have to go out to the market and lease a little bit more. I'm hoping that NATO will buy a small number of C-17s, and we'll have a relationship with them, so that I actually never have to pay for the lease of any contracted strategic airlift. I can provide them a little bit of capacity when they need it and they can provide a little bit of capacity to us.