F-15 fuel tanks receive $2.5 million storage system

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alyssa C. Wallace
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  More than 240 F-15E Strike Eagle external fuels tanks have found a new home in a $2.5 million Vertical Tank Storage System at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

The tanks were previously stored on a cement pad outside where Idaho's brutal winds would remove the caps and plugs off the tanks, causing foreign object debris to appear on the flightline. In addition, the climate made for uncomfortable working conditions for some maintainers.

"To load and unload a dolly outside in the snow and the rain, it's miserable," said Tech. Sgt. Chad Nute, 366th Component Maintenance Squadron aircraft fuels systems repair assistant section chief.

The VTSS replaces a loading method which required four Airmen to work outside using a technique called "buddy bars," where they would manually load and unload a tank and transport it using a spider dolly.

"There would be two people at the head of the tank, and two people at the back of the tank," said Senior Airman Virgil Campbell, aircraft fuels systems journeyman with the 366th CMS. "With this system, we only need two people -- one person pushes the dolly, and one operates the machine from the control panel. It's better; it saves manpower, reduces the amount of time we are outside and time we use storing and taking [the tank] back up to the aircraft maintenance unit.

"I feel it's a huge safety improvement, being that Mountain Home isn't the ideal place to be outside constantly," Campbell added. "The VTSS is like an automatic car wash, it does everything for you."

Nute, who said the process has a "dry cleaning style" technique, stated the VTSS has cut the loading and unloading time down from a possible hour to less than five minutes. This helps the sergeant and his team get the tanks to the AMUs and back faster, and it also helps with accountability.

"The tanks are labeled with serial numbers, and we have annual and biannual inspections we have to do on the [them]," he said. "This equipment helps us, we know exactly where our tanks are."

Because the initial design's contracting and funding process was a few years ago, the storage system was styled to house external tanks for the three American fighter squadrons. Since the 390th FS was deactivated, there is an extra row that can be used "to separate tanks that are awaiting parts," Nute said.

The previous storage area will not go unused.

"The space outside can be used for TDY units, the Republic of Singapore Air Force or other future units," Nute added.

Although the project took about four years to complete, Campbell was still excited to use the VTSS.

"I've never been around a piece of equipment like this," Campbell said. "It has been a great asset to our shop and the base. Since it takes less time, we're freed up to do other maintenance we have going on."

Nute agreed, "This is nice -- probably one of the best investments I've seen in quite a while."