WEBVTT

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- Airfields are critical for deploying

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our forces around the globe.

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Course, our enemies realize
this and often target

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these critical assets
by cratering the runways

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to make them useless for our forces.

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The Army has a unique mission in

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the airfield damage recovery process

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because they provide the
initial reaction forces

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that can either seize an enemy airfield

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or rapidly repair an airfield that

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our adversaries have cratered.

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The Army relies on its paratroopers

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to deliver all of the supplies
and construction equipment

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necessary to perform
airfield damage repair.

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This creates a great logistical
burden, and packaging

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all those tools and
supplies is no small task.

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Through continuing engagement with

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the airborne engineer
community, ERDC worked

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to develop an air-droppable
airfield damage repair kit

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that contained all of
the necessary supplies

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and re-engineered some of
the material components

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to meet the Army's mission
and support the C-17 aircraft.

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ERDC recently delivered these
airfield damage repair kits

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to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Italy

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and participated in a
week-long training event

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that helped train the tactics, techniques,

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and procedures for airfield damage repair.

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The training week covered
all of the basic steps

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in airfield damage
repair, including removing

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the damaged pavement,
backfilling with sound material,

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and placing geocells for
structural reinforcement,

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and finally, covering the crater repair

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with a fiber-reinforced
polymer matting to ensure

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that no damage would
occur to aircraft engines.

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It doesn't end with the training.

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The ERDC remains committed
to the war-fighter

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to continuously improve
technologies and deliver

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force protection
technologies to our soldiers.

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(upbeat instrumental music)