SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. —
Air Mobility Command demoed the Aircraft Battle Damage Repair (ABDR) Mobile Work Centers program, also known as “War Wagons,” here April 11, 2024.
The program is launching this month with the first three trailers being employed in daily missions at Dover AFB, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Travis AFB, over the coming weeks.
“The war wagon is a mobile repair trailer for fabrication personnel that comprises of metals technology, aircraft structural maintenance, and nondestructive inspection,” said Senior Master Sgt. Josh Huber, AMC fabrication superintendent, and one of those chosen to show the wagon to AMC headquarters personnel. “It’s an item that can deploy at a moment’s notice, be loaded onto an aircraft, shored and tied down, and be transported anywhere in the world,” said Huber.
The trailers contain approximately 85 percent of home station repair capabilities performed by Aircraft Structural Maintenance and Metals Technology technicians. ABDR is critical to re-generating damaged aircraft, providing ability and survivability for mobility forces, allowing them to more rapidly respond to needs around the globe.
The War Wagons are equipped with short power systems, tools, generators, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and storage, making them self-sufficient in most environments, expanding AMC’s capabilities in the Pacific and around the globe.
“Our intent is to integrate it into our wings for their use on a day-to-day basis,” said Maj. Gen. Sanford, AMC director of logistics, engineering and force protection. “They’ll tow this out to the aircraft, service the airplane, and make sure they’re prepped and ready.”
He stressed the importance of Airmen familiarizing themselves with the new asset on a regular basis, allowing them to train like they fight. The better they use and employ the wagon at their home station, Sanford said, the more it becomes a part of the integrated mission, and the more seamless deployment becomes for future global operations and contingencies.
