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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan — An F-22 Raptor was rapidly turned around for another sortie during readiness exercise Beverly Beach 26-1 on Aug. 4, using a forward arming and refueling point on the flight line at Kadena. Fuel flowed directly from a U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II to the fighter, cutting ground time and sending it back to the mission.
The event showcased a mobile refueling concept designed to extend aircraft reach from austere locations while keeping stops brief. Fuels Airmen supported an F-22 from the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron with a hot-pit refuel supplied by an MC-130J assigned to Kadena.
“Hot-pit refueling allows us to fuel an aircraft while its engines are still running,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cameron Brown, 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels distribution operator. “As soon as the aircraft lands, we refuel it so it can quickly return to its mission. It’s all about reducing turnaround time and getting the aircraft back in the air safely and efficiently.”
The operation required tight coordination among aircrew, maintainers and fuels specialists, validating procedures to quickly recover, refuel and relaunch combat aircraft from expeditionary sites while upholding stringent safety practices.
Airmen executed their tasks in mission-oriented protective posture gear, adding realism and demonstrating the ability to sustain aircraft generation under degraded conditions.
“Fuel is the lifeblood of these aircraft,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Alexis Aragon, 18th LRS fuels distribution supervisor. “Without fuel, the mission cannot get done. Our priority is to fuel these aircraft as safely and efficiently as possible so they’re ready to get back into the fight and complete the mission.”
For the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron, shaving minutes off ground operations translates to more time airborne. The exercise sharpened the unit’s refueling expertise to support rapid relaunches and sustain the wing’s ability to project airpower.
