A U.S. Air Force RC-26B Metroliner aircraft assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, sits on the flight line prior to departing on a wildland fire mapping and detection mission in support of the U.S. Forest Service at the Eugene Airport, Eugene, Ore., August 1, 2021.
U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Timothy Williams discusses the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) with Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, during the general’s visit to the Wyoming Air National Guard base, Cheyenne, Wyo., on Aug. 7. On Aug. 10, a total of six MAFFS-equipped C-130 aircraft from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units in Wyoming, California, Nevada, and Colorado flew 14 sorties and conducted 14 drops bringing their total to 517 sorties and 514 drops since June 30. Also in support U.S. Forest Service firefighting efforts in the western U.S., two ANG RC-26 aircraft have flown 62 sorties, logging approximately 218 flying hours flights, to ID and map potential fire hotspots. U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), provides support to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in conducting wildland fire fighting operations as requested. First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), U.S. Northern Command’s Air Component Command, is the DoD’s operational lead for the aerial military efforts. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Jacqueline Marshall)