USAF’s airmen prepare to assemble an Expeditionary Airfield Lighting System at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Credit: US Air Force, photo by Senior Airman Anabel Del Valle.

The US Air Force (USAF) has conducted the first expeditionary airfield lighting system (EALS-C) training initiative at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida.

Held between 27 and 31 January, the mission essential equipment training (MEET) course on EALS-C technology involved the participation of electrical systems airmen from various installations across the USAF.

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MEET is taught by the 801st RED HORSE Training Squadron (RHTS), responsible for operating one of the three Silver Flag locations, including Tyndall AFB, across the US Department of Defense.

Apart from Tyndall AFB, the USAF is also planning to conduct the MEET course at two other Silver Flag locations, including Andersen AFB in Guam and Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

The 40-hour and five-day-long training activity allowed the participating airmen to use the EALS-C capability for lighting contingency airfields.

801st RHTS electrical contingency training instructor staff sergeant Michael Murillo said: “Minimising installation time to under an hour to light up an airfield, ensures we can project unrivalled combat power as quickly as possible.”

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The EALS-C technology is claimed to be more efficient and safe to use in comparison with its predecessor EALS-B system.

The new lighting system can also be used to support a wide range of military and civilian aircraft missions, in less than an hour, which is quicker than a conventional system that can take up to nine hours.

Murillo added: “The EALS-B is very dated, using incandescent lighting for fixtures and a mobile electric power (MEP) generator.

“The MEP generator is a potentially fatal piece of equipment due to upwards of 2,000V present at any time. With the new EALS-C system, all lights are LED and at a maximum, there is 270V running through cable or equipment, making it safer for airmen.”