Spc. Rene Torres and Spc. Justin Gerdes connect two 50-foot fuel hoses while setting up a jump forward arming and refueling point using the Advanced Aviation Forward Area Refueling System at Camp Hero, Afghanistan. (Photo by Spc. David
Maness)
Focus on JFARP
After handing over the FARP, the
platoon turned its focus to JFARP
operations. While the platoon was
hard at work preparing equipment
and personnel to deploy a JFARP
team, parallel planning was taking place at the battalion, brigade,
and combined joint staff levels to
ensure all operations and courses
of action were properly analyzed,
compared, and understood.
A JFARP can be conducted in
numerous ways, all of which are
mission dependent. There are three
primary methods:
Sling load 500-gallon fuel blivets from a Chinook, fly to the
proposed JFARP location, and
establish a FARP using the Advanced Aviation Forward Area
Refueling System (AAFARS).
Ground convoy to the JFARP location in M978 heavy expanded-
44 Army Sustainment
mobility
tactical
trucks
(HEMTTs) with 2,500-gallon
tankers and set up the HEMTT
Tanker Aviation Refueling System (HTARS).
Employ a “fat cow,”which is a Chinook outfitted with 800-gallon
extended-range fuel system tanks
and hoses.
During its JFARP training, the
fuel and water platoon conducted all
three types of operations and validated the associated refuel systems.
Pros and Cons
Each type of JFARP operation
and equipment has its pros and
cons to consider during planning.
AAFARS. Using the AAFARS
system provides suitable aviation
refuel capability for 24 to 72 hours.
It rapidly employs all necessary
personnel and equipment using
Chinooks. It also gives units more
options for site selection.
One con to the AAFARS is that
it is primarily deployed using Chinooks, which have weight limitations when flying in the mountains
of Afghanistan. Multiple trips may
be necessary to get all equipment
and personnel to the location. Another con is that, depending on the
mission and aircraft to be refueled,
multiple 500-gallon blivets may be
required. Resupply factors must
be considered when determining
CH–47 requirements and mission
synchronization.
When planning a JFARP using
the AAFARS, sling-load operations are integral to the process
since they are the primary means
of deploying the blivets and sometimes the container used to store
the AAFARS.
HTARS. Conducting a ground
convoy using HEMTT tankers
provides high fuel capacity, which