At RAF Fairford, where operations shift quickly from quiet skies to the roar of bomber task forces and NATO exercises, a small logistics team ensures every mission has what it needs to succeed.
For Master Sergeant Michael Barbato, Superintendent of the Logistics Readiness Flight, and Technical Sergeant Adam Michaels, Logistics Planner, both assigned to the 420th Air Base Squadron, every operation begins long before aircraft arrive.
“We’re responsible for ensuring smooth operations from start to finish,” Barbato said. “From providing vehicles and fuel to receiving munitions and aircraft ground equipment for the unit, everything is mapped out through detailed coordination with internal and external units.”
The Logistics Readiness Flight lead receptions, logistics planning for Bomber Task Forces, NATO Exercises, Special Operations, and Agile Combat Employment. Their office manages tens of millions of dollars in War Reserve Materiel, equipment pre-positioned at Fairford so visiting units can start operating immediately upon arrival.
“We issued 279 pieces of equipment last year to four different bomber units,” Michaels said. “That prevented about 15 extra C-17 flights and saved roughly $12 million in airlift costs. But more importantly, it kept missions on schedule.”
One of their most complex efforts came during Ramstein Flag 2025, the first NATO-led version of the exercise hosted at Fairford. The event brought together 154 personnel and multiple aircraft types, including the first-ever U.S.–Turkey F-35 refueling mission and Romania’s first NATO F-16 deployment.
“We had personnel from across the alliance operating in the same ramp space and mission planning cells,” Michaels said. “The reason it all came together seamlessly was due to our detailed reception brief, where inbound forces are provided information and points of contact to integrate into our operations. Despite the challenge of limited manpower across the base, we excel at coordinating and ensuring the needs of the inbound team are met. Everything aligned so well, and it was incredibly rewarding.”
Despite being a two-person shop where larger bases might have entire teams, Barbato said the mission always comes first.
“Most people aren’t sure what a logistics planner does until they directly work with them,” Michaels said. “We’re behind the curtain, pulling strings to make sure everything and everyone shows up where and when it’s supposed to.”
“Ready, Reliable, Responsive and Resilient are the pillars of how we operate,” Michaels said. “We plan ahead, stay flexible, and make sure every mission gets what it needs to launch on time.”
For Barbato and Michaels, success is measured not in recognition but in the sound of aircraft engines lifting off the runway, proof that the plan worked.
| Date Taken: | 11.17.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2025 10:20 |
| Story ID: | 551338 |
| Location: | GB |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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