AFCEC hosts Pacific Unity subject matter experts

  • Published
  • By John Burt
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Air Force Civil Engineer Center's Tyndall Detachment recently hosted members of the Indonesian and Royal Malaysian Air Forces as part of the Pacific Unity civil engineering subject matter expert exchange.

Sponsored by Pacific Air Forces, Pacific Unity is a program designed to strengthen cooperation with select Pacific nations through humanitarian assistance, disaster response preparedness, civil military operations and idea exchanges.

"Our goal is to understand the capabilities of our Pacific theater partners," said Capt. Rueben Choi, Civil Engineer Foreign Affairs Program officer at Pacific Air Forces. "In the event of a catastrophic natural disaster or some type of engagement, we'll be better prepared to work together to respond accordingly."

Officers from two Pacific-Asia nations got the chance to see some of the unique research and development facilities of AFCEC's Readiness Directorate Requirements and Acquisition Division . These included labs where AFCEC is developing and testing the thermal characteristics of geo-polymers that may be used to replace pavement materials. AFCEC members also showed examples of shelter systems designed to significantly reduce power consumption on expeditionary bases.

The foreign officers also visited AFCEC's Civil Engineer Maintenance Inspection and Repair Team, the Air Force's premier center for the overhaul and repair of aircraft arresting systems. CEMIRT technicians average 36 AAS overhauls per year. The extensive four-to-five week AAS rebuilding program includes both military and civilian personnel and involves 40 individual process steps and three comprehensive quality assurance inspections. CEMIRT has incorporated improvements to the original manufacturer's design into their overhaul program. These enhancements include making key components more accessible to maintenance crews and replacing custom-made ridged steel hydraulic lines with easy to maintain flexible hoses.

"It is remarkable to see how AFCEC is doing these modifications based on requirements in the field," said Lt. Col. Sudradjat Atang, Indonesian Air Force. "They are evaluating problems and putting the latest technology toward solving them. We're not responding as effectively back home, so that is something I have to bring back."
During their Tyndall trip, the Malaysian and Indonesian officers also visited Tyndall's 325th Civil Engineer Squadron as well as the Silver Flag training site.

Four Pacific Unity events, like the one at Tyndall, are scheduled each year at locations throughout the Pacific and the U.S. mainland. Feedback from participants show they appreciate the opportunity to build professional relationships between the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific nations.

"We have worked with the U.S for a long time and there is a strong will from our Air Force to continue this relationship," said Atang. "Events like this help us build interpersonal contacts. If we know each other well, it makes it easier to work together."