Lead plane and MAFFS during annual training in Idaho, April, 2020. Still image from AIRAILIMAGES video.The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) has requested two Department of Defense C-130 aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS) to support wildland firefighting operations in support of NIFC in the northwestern United States. One C-130H from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nev., and one C-130J from the California Air National Guard’s 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, Calif., will arrive at Boise Airport in Idaho today. The aircraft are standing by for flying on behalf of a DoD-approved US Forest Service Request.
“We greatly appreciate the assistance of our military partners,” said Kim Christensen, deputy assistant director for operations for the US Forest Service. “These aircraft will help provide additional capacity for aerial firefighting.”
Having military C-130s that can be converted into air tankers provides a critical “surge” capability that can be used to bolster wildfire suppression efforts when commercial air tankers are stretched thin or an inadequate number remain available for initial attack.
Nationally there are 35 large uncontained wildfires that are being managed by 26 Type 1 or 2 incident management teams. As of Friday morning 156 helicopters are committed to fires along with more than 17,000 personnel. The number of contracted large air tankers activated was 23, plus 6 water scooping air tankers, before the 2 MAFFS came on board.
A C-130 Hercules, equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, drops fire retardant April 27, 2011, above West Texas. MAFFS is capable of dispensing 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Eric Harris)
13 Comments
about frickien time
It’s a shame we don’t have enough private contractor’s aircraft to fill these spots.
My Guess is unless some key “High Up There” political figure gets directly affected by a Fire the entire Flight part of Fighting fast moving Fires will be put on the back burner. Kind of a newbee to this fireaviation.com … but it amazes me that there isn’t any solely purpose built from the factory Airborn Fire Trucks. Every aircraft was a passenger liner or something else then adapted. O well.
From one Bubba to another…there are more than a few specifically built aerial fire fighting aircraft…the CL-415/215 and the AT-802 Fire Boss come to mind the quickest…one other thought on these MAFFS aircraft. There only supposed to be called up when ALL the privately contracted aerial firefighting assets are on contract. Given we’re at PL4, I’m guessing there are A LOT of fixed wing and rotary assets not on contract right now that should be getting called up before these aircraft start working…
The Fire Boss started out as a crop duster.
The Fireboss started off as a firefighter. The 802 was designed for fires, then the farmers decided to make them cropdusters. The smaller 602, 502, 402, 301’s were all cropdusters.
The 802 began as a dedicated firefighting aircraft, which was the design concept and the purpose and certification. When it entered production, it came out as a firefighting version and a utility version for aerial application, but the 802 was designed to be a firefighting platform.
When the decision was made to market the airplane for the agricultural field, the decision came with some controversy, regarding the demand for an 800 gallon agricultural airplane. The firefighting 802 went into production as an agricultural airplane, as the 802A.
There are three basic versions; the 802F, 802A, and 802U, which is armored. The 802A and 802F can be reconfigured for other missions, but the Air Tractor 802 was designed from the ground up as a firefighting airplane.
The head of the National Guard lives outside of Sacramento. Hmmm..
Think that’s why the big boys got called in..?
Meanwhile, the USFS decided to stop the CWN Contract for the RFS 737 the day prior. Makes complete sense….replace one IA capable Tanker with two that require an already strained lead plane fleet and with 10 times the personnel footprint at more than twice the cost.
Drawing board plans say the Alfa Tango – 802 is a Agri Plane with other uses.
Oh and one more item.. the Charlie Lima 415 was built to Fight Fires. Built in 1993. Almost thirty years ago. Just don’t think fighting fires from the air is a priority for Uncle Sam. Note. A remote control Helicopter Hovered on Mars. I like that news.
Why? There are 25 privately owned tankers sitting around at the moment on a fed contract and around 10 other LATS across the country on state contracts. ~8 sitting on the ground in MCC. It’s been a slow year, this is just a waste. Bringing B210 over was also a complete waste of resources.
Use the resources you have before blowing more of my tax dollars on acquiring more. Tired of the waste. Especially with how ineffective the maffs drop system is on anything over a grass fire.
Agreed!
Comments are closed for this article!