Photo By Senior Airman Renee Nicole Finona | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Christian Brown, 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron...... read more read more
Subscribe
RAF LAKENHEATH, England -- The success of any mission relies on more than just pilots and aircraft - it depends on the hard work of the Airmen ensuring ground operations run smoothly. At RAF Lakenheath, vehicle maintainers play a crucial role in keeping the fleet operational, with bobtails being one of the most mission-essential assets on base.
Bobtails, which are modified trucks designed for towing heavy loads, are primarily used by the munitions squadron, aerospace ground equipment (AGE), and aircraft maintenance communities. Their ability to transport essential supplies across the base makes them indispensable.
A well-maintained bobtail ensures critical operations continue without delays. If vehicles were not properly maintained, it would directly impact the mission effectiveness of RAF Lakenheath’s F-35 and F-15 squadrons.
“Our mission effectiveness would definitely go down,” said Senior Airman Christian Brown, 48th LRS vehicle maintenance journeyman. “Munitions wouldn’t be able to get to aircraft as easily, AGE wouldn’t be able to move their equipment, and transportation across the base would slow down.”
To prevent such disruptions, the vehicle maintenance team prioritizes repairs for mission-essential vehicles, ensuring assets required for daily operations are serviced first.
Maintainers at RAF Lakenheath face troubles such as engine oil leaks and electrical wiring issues, which are common in aging vehicles. However, one of the biggest challenges is the harsh environmental conditions in England.
“They use a lot of salt on the roads here, which can lead to faster corrosion and rusting,” said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Pryatel, 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management section chief. “The roads are also a lot smaller than what these vehicles were originally designed for, which increases the chances of accidents.”
Safety is a top priority when maintaining bobtails, as failures can lead to serious consequences.
“If you’ve got a trailer full of munitions hooked up to a bobtail and the maintenance hasn’t been properly done, you could have a wheel fall off, a driveshaft come loose, or even an engine failure,” said Brown. “That’s a serious risk on the flight line.”
To prevent such failures, vehicle maintainers undergo extensive on-the-job training, as much of the learning process is hands-on.
“We rely on experienced Airmen to teach new maintainers the ins and outs of these vehicles,” Pryatel said. “A lot of it is trial and error, getting hands-on experience and learning from mistakes so they can diagnose and fix problems correctly.”
Bobtails may not be the most visible asset on base, but without them, the mission would grind to a halt.
“People don’t always realize how much vehicle maintenance impacts operations,” said Brown. “But without us, a lot of things wouldn’t happen.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2025 07:45 |
| Story ID: | 490523 |
| Location: | RAF LAKENHEATH, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 29 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Keeping the mission moving: 48th Vehicle Maintenance, by SrA Renee Nicole Finona, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
