3/17/2011 - Tech. Sgt. Dave Harwood, 17th Special Operations Squadron flight engineer, calculates the take off landing distance to Yamagata Airport to an established forward area refueling point (FARP) March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders for a total of 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at further distances by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel exists. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuels at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

3/17/2011 - Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wisnoski, 17th Special Operations Squadron loadmaster, and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Rodgers, 353rd Special Operations Group forward area refueling point (FARP) member, setup equipment to defuel an MC-130P Combat Shadow March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders for a total of 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at further distances by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel exists. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuels at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

3/17/2011 - Tech. Sgt. Paul Hammer, 353rd Special Operations Group forward area refueling point (FARP) member, returns a fuel line to MC-130P Combat Shadow after defueling March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders worth 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at distances further from the original airport that it departed from by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel is at. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuel at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

3/17/2011 - Staff Sgt. Nicholas Wisnoski, 17th Special Operations Squadron loadmaster, turns off a defueling pump on an MC-130P Combat Shadow March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders worth 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at distances further from the original airport that it departed from by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel is at. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuel at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

3/17/2011 - Airmen 1st Class JT Mills, 17th Special Operations Squadron loadmaster, keeps in communication with the pilots and forward area refueling point (FARP) members while defueling an MC-130P Combat Shadow at Yamagata Airport March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders worth 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at distances further from the original airport that it departed from by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel is at. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuel at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)

3/17/2011 - Tech. Sgt. Paul Hammer, 353rd Special Operations Group forward area refueling point (FARP) member, runs a fuel line to an MC-130P Combat Shadow March 17. The FARP members defueled the MC-130P and fueled four fuel bladders for a total of 36,000 pounds of JP-8 fuel. FARPs allow aircraft to operate at further distances by allowing the aircraft to stop and refuel where typically no fuel exists. The FARP team is capable of providing fuel to remote and austere locations. The fuels at Yamagata Airport will be used for American forces search and recovery teams during Japan’s earthquake and tsunami relief. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen)