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Mission success by metals tech

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ashley Maldonado
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Sparks fly as a 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron aircraft metals technology Airman welds a metal rod that will be used to create a toolbox.

Not only do these Airmen work on aircraft parts, but they also support the 20th Civil Engineer Squadron and the 20th EMS aerospace ground equipment flight by making special tools and other pieces of equipment.

“We are able to repair jets and do jobs in a quick and timely manner without leaving the facility, otherwise we would have to get specialty crews out here to do it,” said Airman 1st Class Joshua Burnis, 20th EMS aircraft metals technology journeyman. “With the tools that we make, we are able to perform checks to see if a part needs additional work or if it’s good to go. We’re able to blend out damage and repair stuff on the jets, so they can get back up in the air and get ready to get back into the fight.”

The metals technology Airmen work with various machines that alter different types of metal into whatever tool or piece of equipment is needed. By having this capability, they support approximately $3.4 billion in aircraft parts and around $34 million in aerospace ground equipment, saving the maintenance units on base millions of dollars throughout the year.

“If there was a part that would take $500,000 to manufacture, we could make it at half the cost and much faster than an outside source,” said Airman 1st Class Peter Lockett, 20th EMS aircraft metals technology journeyman.

These Airmen perform 24-hour operations to support all the F-16 Fighting Falcons on the installation.

Burnis said if metals tech did not exist, the jets would have more down time because necessary repairs would not be able to be accomplished. Without the metals technology Airmen, there would be a loss of sorties and a lot of wasted time.

The metals technology shop Airmen ensure they remain precise with their measurements and are able to return serviceable parts to the base populace no
matter the equipment entering the facility, thus ensuring mission success.