Israeli air force's top CE visits AFCEC

  • Published
  • By John Burt
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Members of Det. 1, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, here, hosted the Israeli air force's top civil engineer officer, Lt. Col. Ron Ben Sahal Aug. 15.

"The U.S. Air Force's airfield damage repair and rapid runway repair capabilities interest us," said Ben Sahal, head of the IAF's Civil Engineer Branch. "We hope to work with (the U.S. Air Force) in these areas."

AFCEC's Readiness Directorate is spearheading the Air Force's efforts to modernize ADR tactics, techniques and procedures.

"ADR supports all of the actions needed to open, establish, sustain or recover an airfield and its infrastructure to support air operations," said Capt. Benjamin Carlson, expeditionary engineering modernization branch chief. "ADR involves making expedient, durable repairs on a runway and returning it to service in a little as eight hours after an attack."

Traditional rapid runway repair, or "Triple R," methods involve quick, temporary repairs but can only support one type of aircraft -- either fighter or transport -- for a few hundred passes. The ADR model supports multiple types of aircraft simultaneously for thousands of passes using newer rapid-setting pavement materials.

"The flowable fill material we're using as a base for crater repairs is something new to (the Israeli air force) and hopefully something they can incorporate in their current asphalt repair methods," said Lance Filler, ADR modernization analyst.

During his visit, Ben Sahal had the opportunity to see the final stages of a test by AFCEC on how wet weather conditions affect asphalt crater repair methods. AFCEC members also demonstrated ADR equipment like an asphalt recycler as a potential way to help the IAF reduce dependency on contractors during recovery actions.

"I'm hoping after this visit, we continue our cooperation including possibly some joint training in Israel and the states." said Ben Sahal.

"We've invited the Israeli air force civil engineer to come back to observe more of our tests," said Carlson. "Their prototype of new ADR technology comes online this year. We're hoping to get some information about that and potentially view some of their testing as well."