Defense idles firefighting C-130s following crash

The Defense Department has put its fleet of firefighting C-130 aircraft on an “operational hold” following the crash of one aircraft battling a blaze in southwestern North Dakota on Sunday, Northern Command officials said in a statement.

The crash of the C-130 from the North Carolina Air National Guard’s 145th Airlift Wing caused casualties, but the command did not provide further details.

The C-130s are equipped with the Forest Service-owned Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System that can douse an area one quarter of a mile long and 60 feet wide with 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in five seconds. Yesterday’s crash was the first in the 40-year history of the MAFFS program, a joint Defense Department and Forest Service program that provides additional aerial firefighting resources when commercial and private air tankers are no longer able to meet the Forest Service’s needs.

Last week, the Air Force activated all eight (now seven) firefighting C-130s to battle fires in Colorado.