Northern Command Sending Aircraft to Battle California Fires | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.14.25

Airborne-NextGen-04.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-04.16.25

Airborne-AffordableFliers-04.17.25

SunnFun-DayFour-04.03.25

Mon, Nov 03, 2003

Northern Command Sending Aircraft to Battle California Fires

Calling In The Crews Of "Last Resort"

Northern Command is sending all eight of the Defense Department's C-130 aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, or MAFFS, and six CH-53 helicopters with fire suppression buckets to support the  firefighting effort in California.

While homeland defense is the primary mission of the command, established as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Northern Command also provides "one-stop shopping" for military assistance to civil authorities in disaster relief operations. "When called upon, Northern Command's mission is to expeditiously support (the National Interagency Firefighting Center in Boise, Idaho) in order to lessen or eliminate the effects of wildland fires," said Army Col. Jay Marts, Northern Command's deputy chief of current operations.

MAFFS aircraft from the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Island Air National Guard Station, entered the fight Oct. 27. Air Force Reserve C-130s from the 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base (CO) flew their first missions Oct. 28. Air National Guard aircraft from the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte (NC) and the 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne (WY), are also in the air over the fire front.

DoD also has approved a request for six helicopters with fire suppression buckets. The helicopters will come from 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (CA).

C-130s from the 146th have flown 23 missions, dispersing 62,100 gallons of retardant. A 302nd C-130 dropped 2,700 gallons of retardant in one Oct. 28 mission. The MAFFS is a modular unit designed to be inserted into a C-130 aircraft. Each MAFFS unit is capable of carrying about 3,000 gallons of fire retardant. When discharged from about 200 feet above the treeline, the system is capable of covering an area about 60 feet wide and a quarter mile long in about 10 seconds.

The Defense Department is a "last resort," called in only after all local and state assets have been used, Marts noted.

When NIFC determines military firefighting assistance is needed, the center sends a request for assistance to the DoD. Once authorized, the order is sent to Northern Command to execute.

FMI: www.northcom.mil

Advertisement

More News

Airborne 04.18.25: Gulfstream G800 TC, Wingsuit Records, Bad Heli Mechanic

Also: Silver Airways Bankruptcy, China v Boeing, Intense HeliRescue, Boeing Potty $$$ Gulfstream Aerospace announced that its all-new Gulfstream G800 long range bizjet has received>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.19.25)

"We're excited to welcome Dave as Spirit's new President and CEO. He brings with him a wealth of experience and a solid track record of accomplishments from his many years in the a>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.19.25): Discrete Code

Discrete Code As used in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS), any one of the 4096 selectable Mode 3/A aircraft transponder codes except those ending in zero zero; >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.19.25)

Aero Linx: The Museum of Flight The Museum of Flight is the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world! With over 175 aircraft and spacecraft, tens of thousa>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.16.25)

"The FAA is taking this action in part because after the company’s director of operations voluntarily shut down flights, he was fired.... The review, known as a Certificate H>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC