The laundry, a complete equipment package, is designed to support third and fourth echelon hospitals deployed around the world. The package consists of two large washers and dryers along with a four-section temper tent, environmental control unit, water heater, and water supply and drainage pumps. The whole package can be transported by aircraft, boat or train, and set up by five people. The system was developed at the Natick laboratory for the Army's Force Provider package. Currently, there are six Force Providers in Bosnia supporting 25 percent of U.S. troops stationed there.
None have the new laundry, however.
Air Force officials became interested in the containerized laundry when they saw a demonstration of its capabilities at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Ft. Polk, La., earlier this year. If purchased by the Air Force, it will eventually replace the tactical field laundry and become a Harvest Falcon asset, an Air Force equipment package designed to support a large troop encampment, similar to the Army's Force Provider. Michael Hilla, Headquarters Air Force Services Agency , who traveled to Hanscom for the week-long test. According to Hilla, the system appears to be more economical, easier to use, quicker, and does a better overall job than the tactical field laundry.