STOCKHOLM, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sweden should join NATO's pool of military transport capacity, instead of buying two American aircraft at a cost of 2 billion kronor (280 million U.S. dollars) each, Radio Sweden reported on Saturday, quoting foreign minister Carl Bildt.

    "It makes better financial sense for us," Bildt said. Speaking to Swedish Radio, the foreign minister said the move was one way in which Sweden could deepen its relationship with the North Atlantic alliance.

    Many in the armed forces want to buy Boeing C-17 Globemasters -giant, four-engined planes that can carry four times as much as Sweden's current fleet of eight aging Hercules, according to the radio.

    The decision proved controversial for the previous Social Democratic government, with its partners in the Left and Green parties largely opposed to any move to replace the Hercules, said the report.