$8M for AAFARS in Iraq & Afghanistan
The U.S. Army has placed an $8 million order with BAE Systems for 32 Advanced Aviation Forward Area Refuelling Systems (AAFARS) helicopter refuelling systems. The latest booking is the ninth order in a multi-year production run worth more than $100 million, and which is expected to total 372 systems.
The AAFARS is a modular, lightweight, portable four-point refueling system designed for rapid refuelling of forward-area military helicopters in support of deep strikes. The system has a 240 gallon-per-minute pump that can fuel four helicopters simultaneously separated by a distance of 100 feet, at a rate of 55 gallons per minute (gpm) each.
The system was assembled using commercial components including a pumping system, filtration system, lightweight hoses equipped with unisex dry-break couplings, and three types of refueling nozzles. It is compatible with a variety of fuel sources such as 3,000 and 10,000-gallon collapsible tanks, and assembly has been field-proven with a set-up time of 20 minutes and tear down in 25 minutes.
AAFARS are used by U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, principally to fuel AH-64 Apache, UH-60 Blackhawk, and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. AAFARS systems also are deployed in South Korea and are currently being shipped to Germany.
The original Sept 24/01 contract announcement awards the contract to BAE Systems Aircraft Controls in Ontario, CA, beginning with a $2.8 million increment as part of a potential $100.06 million firm-fixed-price contract for the Advanced Aviation Forward Area Refueling System. Work will be performed in Ontario, CA and completion is expected by Sept. 30, 2009. Ther3three bids were received by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command in Warren, MI (DAAE07-01-D-0027).
Additional Readings
- DoD DefenseLINK (Sept 24/01) – Original AAFARS contract announcement
- Rotorhub.com – US Army orders helicopter refuelling systems for use in Iraq and Afghanistan
