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HICTS heat up Shaw’s efficiency

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kaitlyn Brewer
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  A load crew with the 20th Maintenance Group weapons standardization flight, performed a Hot Integrated Combat Turnaround for the first time at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, May 15.

While HICTs were more common over a decade ago, all Air Combat Command wings could bring the refueling system back into effect following a recent ACC conference.

A HICT is a process by which an aircraft is recovered and relaunched in a minimum amount of time through simultaneous refueling, munitions loading and unloading.

“Our usual turnaround time takes three hours, but this time, using the HICT, it took 23 minutes and 50 seconds,” said Senior Airman Kayla Morris, 20th MXG weapons standardization flight weapons lead crew member. “We now get to teach the rest of the crew how to do this and become a more efficient team, both at home station and while deployed.”

During the HICT, an F-16 Viper taxied from the 79th Fighter Squadron “Tiger” ramp to the refueling area for fueling and weapons loading, then taxied back; simulating an aircraft taxiing to the end-of-runway from a combat mission.

Chief Master Sgt. Jon Young, 20th MXG wing weapons manager said increasing the wing’s lethality with the HICTs was a team effort.

“With the support of ACC, I worked together with the 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 20th Medical Group and 20th Operations Group to make it happen and now Shaw demonstrates greater combat capabilities,” said Young.