The first flights of the Biden administration’s latest effort to expedite baby formula delivery to the US amid a nationwide shortage will include US military aircraft, a White House official says.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the first flights supporting the newly created Operation Fly Formula program, and they will “depart Ramstein Air Base in Germany over the course of this weekend,” the White House official said.
“Due to the urgency of the situation, these flights will comprise U.S. military aircraft,” the official said.
Using military aircraft for this endeavor is unusual and underscores the urgent nature of the situation.
The administration’s plan going forward is to use commercially contracted aircraft, but none were available this weekend, according to an official. The official promised further updates on the remaining 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start Extensive HA, “which are expected to arrive in the coming days.”
The first flights over the weekend will transport 132 pallets of Nestlé Health Science formula — including Alfamino Infant and Alfamino Junior — to Indianapolis.
The White House has said these specific formulas have been prioritized because they serve a critical medical purpose and are in short supply in the United States because of the Abbott Nutrition plant closure in Michigan.
CNN reported Friday that the West Wing has been thrown into crisis mode over the nationwide shortage of baby formula.
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