SOUTHWEST ASIA -- It’s not uncommon for daytime temperatures to soar past 122 degrees Fahrenheit here. That’s why members of the 820th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer or RED HORSE from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., do their part to keep aircraft flying during twilight hours.
Sweat isn’t the only thing that comes along with blistering heat; asphalt will also start to soften at a ground temperature of about 122 degrees.
“During the day asphalt usually gets to about 300 degrees,” Tech. Sgt. Zachary Norris, 820th RED HORSE member said. “We try to put it down during the cooler part of the day so the asphalt can cool and get the correct compaction and density to prevent damage over time .”
When construction is complete, the new airfield, used by the 387th Air Expeditionary Group and coalition partners, will have less foreign object debris, providing a smoother surface to prevent tire and other damages to aircraft.
“The old asphalt here was causing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage on aircraft,” Norris said. “With the new asphalt, we’re able to basically give the planes and aircrew a better working area.”
The assets flying in and out of the airfield refuel the aircraft that conduct precision airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the U.S. and coalition’s strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State, or ISIL.
The 387th AEG also supported retrograde operations in Afghanistan, moving more than 22 million pounds of cargo in two months. The group continues to support Operation INHERENT RESOLVE with personnel and cargo movement throughout the region while hosting U.S., Canadian and Italian aircraft.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, as of June 22, 2015, more than 7,655 targets in Iraq and Syria have been damaged or destroyed during OIR.
RED HORSE doesn’t only lay asphalt for aircraft runways. They also possess the capability to provide expedient heavy repair, vertical and horizontal construction, plumbing, electricians, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) duties in the area of operation.
The support RED HORSE Airmen provide during OIR is not a new concept. The squadron has provided unique contingency capabilities worldwide for almost 50 years.
“It just goes to show that keeping RED HORSE around for this many years, and all the places we have touched,” Norris said. “We have been able to make life better for those around us.”