This project at DoD facility located at JBLM Gray Army Airfield (GAAF) is a new hot refueling facility to replace the site that was destroyed in the 2001 Great Nisqually Earthquake. This mission essential facility constructed to provide a functional, efficient, cost effective & safe means of fueling DoD/Army equipment, emergency response vehicles, & rotary wing aircrafts assigned to JBLM, this includes supporting & training five Brigade Combat Teams & one Aviation Brigade Team. The facility will be supporting infield fuel tankers, hot refueling & training requirements for the units stationed at JBLM. This new facility was designed and constructed in accordance with UFC 3-460-01 to replace facilities that were undersized, non-compliant & posed life safety & environmental risk to installation & users. Restoring the fueling capabilities at GAAF will greatly enhance the mission readiness & efficiency of operations.
The project completed by WHH Nisqually-Garco Joint Venture featured multiple F-24 & Diesel fuel storage units, with bulk load/offload capability; an operations building & the supporting infrastructure to provide three Class IV Hot Fueling positions with six pantograph pads for rapid refueling of rotary wing aircraft & incidental related work.
The F-24 system supports the Brigades on JBLM by creating hot refueling center for the use of rotary wing military aircraft. The helicopters will use the newly constructed taxiways to gain access to the three Class IV Hot Fueling positions. There are six pantograph fueling stations on either side of the three hot fueling positions. The four major UL2085 fuel tanks constructed & installed to distribute F-24 through the underground hydrant distribution loop piping to the pantographs. Each F-24 tank holds 50,000 gallons of aviation fuel which allows up to 200,000 gallons of storage on the site. The two fill-stands will support airfield tanker fueling operations for non-rotary wing aircraft & in field fuel tankers for training operations on any of the 32 separate training ranges with closer access to the new Refueling Facility. There are two offload skids and two auxiliary skids with 8 hose connections for commercial fuel delivery. Main skid is equipped with 300 gpm unloading pump, ANSI Class 150# air eliminator flow control tank and all associated appurtenances.
The petroleum oil & lubricants building (POL bldg.) provides operators with a top-of-the-line facility to manage the daily fueling activities required to support mission essential personnel. The POL bldg. is 1,994 square foot concrete masonry unit structure. The building includes a fuel testing laboratory to enhance fueling operators’ testing ability onsite at GAAF & reduce outsourcing monthly fuel testing requirements to other units. Building has a dedicated state-of-the-art dispatch & controls room housing all the facility standard operation requirements such as Pump Control Panel, Veeder Root ATG Control Panel, Hansa Leak Detection System, & Fuel Emergency Controls System.
Photo Credit: Cory Parris Photography
