MEDIA ADVISORY

302nd Airlift Wing

Public Affairs Office, 450 W. Hamilton Ave., Suite 138, Peterson AFB, CO 80914-8010 Phone: (719) 556-4117

For Immediate Release April 18, 2013

Release No. 2013-04-01

AF Reservists to conduct annual MAFFS training April 19-23

MAFFS media day scheduled for Tues., April 23

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - Media are invited to cover Air Force Reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing as 

they conduct their annual Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) training for certification Tuesday, April 23 at 

Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

The U.S. Forest Service and the Air Force Reserve will hold its annual MAFFS training April 19 through 23 at Peterson 

AFB with flight operations out of both Peterson AFB and Pueblo Air Tanker Base. The MAFFS training, sponsored by the 

U.S. Forest service and hosted by the 302nd Airlift Wing will include both classroom and flight certification for military flight 

crews, civilian lead plane pilots and various support personnel. 

During the annual training and re-certification, the MAFFS training aircrews will drop only potable water on remote target 

sites in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest, Bureau of Land Management land, and military ranges. Rural residents may 

see low flying C-130 aircraft during the day. The training will ensure the Wing’s 10 MAFFS aircrews, support personnel and 

MAFFS-equipped C-130s are ready when requests for assistance are made by the U.S. Forest Service, National 

Interagency Fire Center.

During the April 23 MAFFS Media Day at Peterson AFB, media will receive MAFFS briefings from both U.S. Forest Service 

representatives and the 302nd Airlift Wing’s chief of aerial firefighting, Lt. Col. Luke Thompson. In addition, media will

have the opportunity to view and record ground operations as well as interview certifying Air Force Reservists from the 

302nd AW. An Air Force Reserve MAFFS equipped C-130 is also scheduled to perform a static/ground (non-flying) water 

discharge on the flightline at Peterson AFB during Tuesday’s media day. (Additional video footage and digital photos of 

previous MAFFS drops are available on the Defense Video Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS)

http://www.dvidshub.net/)

C-130s equipped with the slide-in U.S. Forest Service MAFFS units can drop up to three thousand gallons of retardant or 

water to aid in the suppression of wildfires. These trained military personnel along with the MAFFS equipment are 

activated to supplement the civilian air tanker program during periods of high wildfire activity throughout the nation. In 2012 

the 302nd Airlift Wing MAFFS equipped C-130s, aircrew and personnel supported fire suppression operations in 10 states, 

including drops on the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs. 

2013 will mark the 20th year the MAFFS mission has been flown by the Airmen and C-130s of the Air Force Reserve 

Command’s 302nd Airlift Wing, stationed at Peterson AFB, Colo.

The military authority for the MAFFS program was created in the early 1970’s to support wildland firefighting through an 

agreement with the U.S. Forest Service. Today, the military aircraft are requested by the National Interagency Fire Center 

(NIFC) and activated through the U.S. Northern Command, based on an agreement with the Department of Defense. 

IMPORTANT: For more information to include event time, reporting instructions and to obtain the necessary Public Affairs 

escort required for access to Peterson Air Force Base for MAFFS Media Day, contact the 302nd AW Public Affairs office at 

(719) 556-4117 before noon, Monday, April 22.

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