LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark -- The 19th Maintenance Group hydraulics back shop at Little Rock Air Force Base is saving the Air Force millions annually by repairing all C-130J Super Hercules carbon brakes across the Mobility Enterprise.
In 2008, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force approved the implementation of Repair Network Integration (RNI) with a vision to rationalize capability and capacity, optimize support to the supply chain and maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
In support of the RNI vison, a 2013 AMC study later determined that consolidating back shops and centralizing the repair network for all C-130 parts would be more cost-effective. This study led to the creation of Little Rock AFB’s Centralized Repair Facility in 2016, Air Mobility Command’s sole Centralized Repair Facility (CRF) and only the CRF in continental United States.
The Little Rock CRF performs detailed and in-depth repairs of hydraulic assets that benefit C-130s, CV-22s, and C-17s across the U.S. Air Force. Among those repairs, the LRAFB CRF is tasked with repairing all C-130J carbon brakes.
“A single carbon brake costs $19,6107,” said Staff Sargeant Jacob Pride, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 19th MXS CRF, “and for every brake [the Little Rock CRF] rebuilds, we save the Air Force approximately $88,633.”
The shop repairs around 75 brakes each year, thus saving the U.S. Air Force over $660 million annually.
The hydraulics back shop at Little Rock Air Force Base stands as a model of efficiency and cost-effectiveness in military logistics. By centralizing and specializing repairs, the facility significantly contributes to the operational readiness and financial stewardship of the Air Force.