Whirlwind Deployment for RUBB EFASS

NINE Rubb EFASS aircraft hangars were rapidly deployed and assembled at Kandahar Airfield in just 21 days by 5001 Squadron through ‘resilience, team work and utter focus on the job’.

The award winning Air Combat Service Support Unit encountered extreme temperatures and rocket attacks at the airbase in Afghanistan, but endeavored to complete the project in record time.

They have since received a Commendation from the Commander-in-Chief of Air Command for the project known as ‘Operation HURRICANE’.

“It was a bit of a whirlwind”, said Colin Green, Officer Commanding 5001 at the time.
“The temperature out there was over 50˚C with clear blue skies and very little wind.
“We had a team of 10 working in two shifts, 6am until 10am and 2pm until 6pm.
“The base was hit with rocket attacks – the closest landed just 400 yards away.
“Their success was down to utter focus, resilience, team work and a lot of long, hard hours.”

The team’s commendation praises their ‘superb professionalism, determination and commitment.’

It reads: “Every deadline was met with both hard work and fortitude and at no point did these people lose their sense of duty, or more importantly their sense of humour. The personnel of 5001 Squadron are amongst the most resilient and flexible of their branch and trade.”

The engineered fabric structures were first purchased back in 2002, after Rubb Buildings Ltd secured an order for fifty-two 20.4m EFASS hangars for the RAF.

In the first deployment, fourteen were delivered to RAF Marham, Norfolk, for the Tornado Squadrons based there.

When the Tornado Force was deployed to Afghanistan, 5001 Squadron was tasked with constructing nine Rubb hangars at Kandahar Airfield.

They deployed to theatre and completed the job in the record time of 21 days in May 2009.

Rubb’s Expeditionary Forces Aircraft Shelter System possesses the rapid deployment qualities which made this all possible.

5001 Squadron Leader Colin Green explained: “The last one was put up in just nine hours.

“Everything you need packs into a 20ft ISO container, can be airlifted to theatre and is rapidly erectable.

“The hangars provide a completely closed environment and can be air conditioned down so the aircraft technicians can safely maintain the aircraft inside.

“It also means our aircraft will be more reliable.

“It is a good and proven system.”

The hangars, featuring state-of-the-art Trident door technology, provide much-needed sheltered working environments for vital frontline aircraft.

Sales Manager Ian Hindmoor said: “Back in the day of the traditional steel framed demountable structures it would have taken them 21 days to build one.”

5001 Squadron routinely deploys around the world to provide and maintain expeditionary airfield facilities to support deployed air operations.