Photo By Airman 1st Class Francisco Huerta | A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 120th Expeditionary Fighter...... read more read more
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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcons assigned to the 120th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed to Kadena Air Base, conducted hot pit refueling with U.S. Marines during a USAF-led operational exercise Beverly Midnight 26 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, March 11, 2026.
The training brought together U.S. Air Force pilots and U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary fuel technicians to demonstrate how aircraft can be rapidly refueled while engines remain running, minimizing ground time and enabling faster sortie generation.
“Hot pit refueling lets us keep aircraft moving,” said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Malachi Irving, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron expeditionary fuel technician. “Instead of shutting down and restarting, we refuel the aircraft with the engines running and get it back in the air much faster.”
The operation highlighted the integration of Air Force and Marine Corps capabilities during high-tempo flight operations. Training across service branches allows units to align procedures, strengthen communication and build familiarity with each other’s operating environments.
“Working alongside the Air Force helps us understand how each service operates and how we can support one another,” said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Matthew Townsend, H&HS expeditionary fuel technician. “Training together builds that trust and makes future operations more efficient.”
The demonstration also supported Agile Combat Employment, a concept designed to increase survivability and flexibility by dispersing forces and generating combat airpower from multiple locations. Rapid refueling techniques like hot pit operations enable aircraft to quickly return to the fight while reducing time spent vulnerable on the ground.
“For us as pilots, every minute on the ground matters,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Alyssa Majuta, 120th EFS F-16 pilot. “Being able to land, refuel quickly and launch again helps us maintain momentum and keep supporting the mission.”
Exercise BM26 brings together joint and allied forces across multiple locations to test rapid airpower generation and coordination in contested environments. Training events like this demonstrate how integrated teams can sustain combat operations and respond quickly to emerging challenges across the Indo-Pacific.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2026 02:14 |
| Story ID: | 560469 |
| Location: | KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, BM26: Joint hot pit refueling strengthens rapid airpower generation, by A1C Francisco Huerta, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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