Anonymous
By the Channel Islands Air National Guard Station
The California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve’s 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, along-side the USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal wildland fire agencies will conduct annual training for Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) personnel at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Port Hueneme, California, May 8-12, 2023.
This week’s training will culminate the second iteration of MAFFS training as well as celebrate a 50-year interagency partnership between the Department of Defense and the USDA Forest Service. Four military C-130 Hercules aircraft will be utilized during the training as well as several lead planes. The recertification training includes classroom sessions, flying and ground operations for Air Force aircrews, civilian lead plane pilots and support personnel from the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal and state agencies.
“The enduring partnership between the Forest Service, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve under the MAFFS program is truly unique and has demonstrated repeatedly over the past 50 years our commitment to supporting the people of our States and nation in times of natural disaster,” said Col. Matthew Glynn, Air Expeditionary Group commander for the Department of Defense. “We are eager to continue this support for the 2023 wildland firefighting season and stand ready to respond when called upon.”
“The MAFFS program is a tremendous example of how the USDA Forest Service and other wildland fire agencies work cooperatively with the military,” said Kim Christensen, deputy assistant director for operations for the Forest Service. “We conduct an annual training and certification exercise to ensure that MAFFS can be integrated into fire suppression operations in a safe, effective, and seamless manner. It helps ensure our mutual preparedness for the 2023 Fire Year.”
The eight C-130 Hercules aircraft that are part of the program are equipped with the Forest Service’s MAFFS, which can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than 10 seconds across a quarter-mile line. The system slides into the back of the military aircraft, and retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side. MAFFS aircraft can be activated to provide a critical “surge” capability to help slow or stop the spread of wildland fires. MAFFS aircraft are only activated when all commercial airtankers that are part of the national airtanker fleet are fully committed or not readily available.
As part of the training in Southern California, practice water drops will be conducted on some remote portions of the Angeles National Forest. Residents and visitors in those areas may see low-flying C-130 aircraft and smaller lead planes throughout the week.
For more information on the MAFFS program, visit: www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/planes/maffs.
Good program!