Courtesy Photo | Huntsville Center Fuels Program team member and contractors work on fuel piping...... read more read more
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – After sitting dormant for more than a decade, the fuel storage and distribution system at an Air National Guard base at Fort Smith Arkansas, has been restored to full operational status by repairs completed by the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville. The restoration ensured the installation would have the ability to become a key training site under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program.
The188th Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base had not used the fuel system for more than 10 years. When the base was selected to train foreign pilots whose home countries purchased fighter aircraft through Foreign Military Sales agreements, the 188th Wing was required to return the site’s four 30,000-gallon storage tanks, pump house, filter separators and all associated underground and above-ground piping to operational standards.
A fuels management specialist with the 188th Logistics Readiness Squadron, said for the unit to progress and successfully execute its mission, bulk fuel storage is essential.
“It is the cornerstone of operational readiness,” Airman 1st Class Drakeston Haddick, said. “Without reliable fuel availability, our pilots, and those from partner nations, are unable to conduct training and operational missions, undermining our core objective to Fly, Fight, and Win.”
The interior and exterior of the storage tanks were refurbished. On the interior of the storage tanks, personnel welded and sanded small pinholes before testing the tanks to ensure compliance with standards. Once repairs were verified, the team sandblasted, cleaned and coated the interiors with an epoxy designed to prevent rust and corrosion. This work required certified confined space entry personnel and specialized equipment to monitor air quality during the operations.
On the exterior, tanks and associated pipelines were sandblasted, pressure washed and coated with an epoxy system consisting of a corrosion-resistant primer and first coat, followed by a polyurethane topcoat for durability and ultraviolet protection.
In response to a challenge that emerged after a portion of the piping failed a pressure test, experienced personnel developed a workaround plan. The solution required fabricating 70 feet of above-ground piping, conducting a mockup and test fit, shipping the assembly 570 miles to the off-site shop for pressure testing and coating, and returning it for final installation. The entire process was completed within four days, a critical factor in meeting the schedule prior to the commissioning date.
“If it were not for the technical experts on the Huntsville Center Fuels team, the issue would have rendered the whole site useless for its intended mission,” said Jason Jones, Huntsville Center Fuels Branch project manager.
Once the system was ready, the contracting team coordinated with Ebbing Field fuels personnel to receive more than 50,000 gallons of fuel delivered by over-the-road haulers. The successful offload marked the first fuel receipt at the site in more than a decade.
After completion of all required operational checks, the system was formally commissioned.
Jones emphasized the broader impact of the effort and the collaborative efforts of the teams involved with the project. He said the successful completion of this project positions Ebbing Field as the training site for allied foreign national pilots.
“The completion of the project would have not been successful if not for the dedication of all contracting personnel, Ebbing Field personnel, and the support of the Huntsville Center Team,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2026 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 560309 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Huntsville Center Fuels Program executes repairs for re-commissioning of Ebbing Field, by Lillian Putnam, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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