Photo By Senior Airman Devlin Bishop | U.S. Airmen and civilians from the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron as well as Airmen...... read more read more
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DAVIS_MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- U.S. Airmen and civilians worked together to replace a backup power generator at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, May 13, 2025.
Members of the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron and the Air Force Civil Engineer Maintenance Inspection and Repair Team executed a large-scale generator replacement project at a key communications facility. The effort, which included coordination across multiple squadrons and agencies, included the use of a 100-ton crane to lift and install the new generator and fuel tank into position.
The project had been years in the making and aimed to modernize the backup power system for one of the installation’s most critical infrastructure nodes, which houses the base’s primary communications systems.
“This project has been in the works since before I arrived at Davis-Monthan,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Claerhout, 355th Civil Engineer Squadron power production supervisor. “I've spent the last two years coordinating materials, managing logistics and ensuring all the right teams were in place to make this happen.”
The previous generator was 25 years old, more than double the recommended service life, and significantly oversized for DM’s modern power requirements. The new system is rated at 200 kilowatts, down from the previous 475-kilowatt unit, which will reduce fuel consumption and operating costs for the base.
“Technology has come a long way over the last two decades,” said Staff Sgt. Zachary Mykulyn, Air Force CEMIRT industrial power production craftsman. “Upgrading these systems isn’t just about efficiency—it’s also about safety and being able to quickly and effectively maintain them if something goes wrong.”
CEMIRT personnel from Travis AFB, California, and Tyndall AFB, Florida, supported the installation alongside Davis-Monthan’s in-house civil engineers, electricians, and equipment operators. The collaborative effort also included coordination with outside crane contractors, base security forces, fire department personnel, and the communications squadron.
The newly installed generator and automatic transfer switch will ensure that critical communications and command operations can continue uninterrupted during unexpected power outages.
“This facility is too important to risk downtime,” Claerhout said. “With the new system in place, we’ve ensured our mission partners have the resilience they need to operate no matter what.”
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2025 16:38 |
| Story ID: | 498231 |
| Location: | DAVIS-MONTHAN AFB, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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