M A F F S

[Bluehawk]

Without their help, who knows what things would be like...

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Factsheets : Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System : Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System
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"The Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, Program provides emergency capability to supplement existing commercial tanker support on wildland fires. MAFFS aids the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. When all other air tankers are activated but further assistance is needed, the Forest Service can request help from the Air Force's MAFFS units. MAFFS is a mission that highlights interagency cooperation.

MAFFS units fit inside C-130 airplanes without requiring structural modification. This allows the units to be loaded on short notice. It takes about two hours to load a MAFFS unit onto the C-130. The C-130s drop retardant from an altitude of about 150 feet through two tubes at the rear of the aircraft. A MAFFS unit can discharge its load -- 3,000 gallons weighing 28,000 pounds -- in less than five seconds. The retardant covers an area one-quarter of a mile long and 60 feet wide. After the plane discharges its load, it can be refilled in less than eight minutes.

MAFFS units can drop either water or retardant called "slurry." Slurry is made of 80 to 85 percent water, 10 to 15 percent ammonium sulfate, a jelling agent and red coloring. The red in the retardant helps pilots see where they have dropped previous loads. Along with retarding the fire, the slurry acts as a fertilizer. Because the MAFFS discharges the agent in a mist, slurry does not cause damage to buildings.

Crews who fly MAFFS missions participate in annual re-currency training. Each wing is required to have five certified crews for each MAFFS unit.

In the 1970s, Congress established the MAFFS system after a major fire burned into Long Beach, Calif., destroyed hundreds of homes, and overwhelmed the civilian tanker fleet's ability to respond. Today, one Air Force Reserve Command and two Air National Guard locations participate in the MAFFS Program.

The 302nd Airlift Wing in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the only Reserve unit. The Guard units include the 153rd AW in Cheyenne, Wyo., and the 145th AW in Charlotte, N.C. The 302nd AW has two of the MAFFS units and the Guard has three units each for a total of eight nationwide."