PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Sytem equipped C-130 assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing from Channel Islands, Calif. arrives at Peterson Air Force Base June 30, 2012. The unit joins the 153rd Aerial Expeditonary Group tasked with providing requested MAFFS assistance throughout the Rocky Mountain area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nichole Grady)
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130 from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing arrives June 30 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., to support wildland fire fighting operations in the western United States. Four MAFFS units are scheduled to arrive June 30, joining four already operating from this southern Colorado air force base. The eight MAFFS units constitute the entire U.S. military's MAFFS fleet. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher)
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Sytem equipped C-130 assigned to the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, N.C. arrives at Peterson Air Force Base June 30, 2012. The unit joins the 153rd Aerial Expeditonary Group tasked with providing requested MAFFS assistance throughout the Rocky Mountain area. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nichole Grady)
6/30/2012 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Additional Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped C-130s arrived Peterson Air Force base today. The C-130s from the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands, Calif. and the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte, N.C. will join the 302nd (Colo.) and 153rd (Wyo.) Airlift Wings in supporting the ongoing U.S. Forest Service wildland fire fighting efforts.
MAFFS is a joint DoD and U.S. Forest Service program. A self-contained aerial firefighting system, the MAFFS units are owned by the U.S. Forest Service and can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than 5 seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Once the load is discharged, it can be refilled in less than 12 minutes.
All eight C-130s will join together to form the 153rd Air Expeditionary Group while supporting the current MAFFS mission.
