MAFFS: 7 MAFFS aircraft- Aerial firefighting certification

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

MAFFS: 7 MAFFS aircraft- Aerial firefighting certification

Air Force Reserve Command C-130 Hercules equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System departs Peterson Air Force Base

Mobile Air Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) Deployment:
Seven MAFFS aircraft and personnel arrived at Channel Islands Air National Guard Base May 4.
This deployment will provide aerial firefighting certification for Federal Request for Assistance.

The 146 Airlift Wing California Air National Guard is hosting the certification exercise.
Personnel from the 145 Airlift Wing North Carolina Air National Guard, 153 Airlift Wing Wyoming Air National Guard, and the 302 Airlift Wing Peterson AFB Air Force Reserve Command are participating in the training.

The 302nd Airlift Wing has had this mission for roughly 16 years. For the Crew members certified on the MAFFS equipment the objective is not to put the fire out, but to follow the lead of aviators from the Forest Service to lay lines of containment.

The process for replenishing the aircraft can be performed in 8 to 12 minutes it is repeated as often as necessary to sustain firefighting operations throughout daylight hours.

The objective of the MAFFS program is to provide emergency capability to supplement the existing commercial airtanker support on wildland fires. By law, MAFFS only can be activated when all other resources have been exhausted.
The civilian air tanker fleet takes care of the initial and extended attacks first, If the fire commander still needs assistance these tankers are ready to fly.

If you see these planes taking off, you know the situation is pretty critical.

Sources: http://www.af.mil - National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, NGB

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Tuesday, May 6, 2008