Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, has a new 200,000 gallon fuel bladder in place that doubles the fuel-storage capacity at the busy coalition air hub. “There are no fixed facilities here at Bagram. The fuel bladders allow us to store large amounts of fuel close to the fight,” said SMSgt. Arnaldo Rodriguez-Matos, fuels superintendent for Bagram’s 455th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. Nearly 30 airmen, led by the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing’s Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants (POL) flight, on Tuesday set up the 4,300-pound bladder in the plastic-lined dike where it now resides. “Most of my POL counterparts haven’t ever done this before, so it was a good training opportunity,” said Rodriguez-Matos. (Bagram report by TSgt. Drew Nystrom)
The two prototypes for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program have started ground testing, Air Force Chief Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced May 1, ahead of a planned first flight this summer.