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News | Sept. 12, 2019

MG ‘19 Airmen fill fuel bladder in U.S. for the first time

By Tech. Sgt. Travis Edwards 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

A handful of 92nd Logistics Readiness Squadron Airmen employed a Fuels Operational Readiness Capability Equipment system during Mobility Guardian 2019, marking the first time the mobile fuel bladders have been used stateside in an uncontested environment, Sept. 11, 2019.

“We use the FORCE to help sustain bare bases and allow for fuel distribution anywhere around the world at a moment’s notice,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Daniel Rey, 92nd LRS fuels information service center section chief. “The bladder can hold up to 50,000 gallons of fuel, which can help service a wide range of friendly aircraft.”

Filling the 50,000 gallon FORCE system gave an opportunity for LRS Airmen to provide agile support and employ in future contingency operations. It can refuel an aircraft or be used as a refueling station for mobile fuel trucks.

In comparison, the F-16 Fighting Falcon can hold anywhere from 900 to 1,100 gallons of fuel fully-loaded and the KC-135 Stratotanker’s maximum transfer fuel load is just under 30,000 gallons.

Team Fairchild LRS Airmen employed five 8,000-gallon fuel trucks to fill the bladder, taking only 20 minutes to deposit each load.

“It can be dropped anywhere we need it,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Garrett, 92nd LRS FORCE technician, who is deployed to Fairchild from Holloman AFB, New Mexico. “We can meet up wherever it’s dropped, start assembling and have it ready as soon as gas arrives.”

Although the FORCE system at Fairchild AFB won’t be used to fuel assets during MG ‘19, Rey said it’s important to practice fueling the bladders so they can be used during real-world contingency operations or in contested environments.

First deployed in 2007 to Southwest Asia, and now during MG19 at Fairchild, the FORCE continues to enable Airmen to execute the mission day-in and day-out, ensuring the readiness of Mobility Airmen anywhere, anytime.


Editor's note: The original story can be viewed on the Fairchild Air Force Base website.