Hill Air Force Base is one of the first locations chosen to integrate commercial refueling trucks into its fleet to modernize operations. The 75th Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Operations team at Hill is working with the Air Force to test these vehicles and provide feedback to improve mission readiness and replace aging equipment.
The Air Force has historically relied on R-11 fuel trucks for flight line refueling. However, these vehicles face maintenance challenges, including scarce replacement parts and vendor shortages, as the average fleet age exceeds 20 years. To address this, the Air Force Petroleum Office and the Vehicle Supply Chain Operations Squadron developed a strategy to transition certain installations to a fleet composed of 30% commercial trucks and 70% tactical vehicles.
Master Sgt. Nathan Cyr, Fuels Information Service Center section chief, stated that the commercial refuelers benefit base operations by cutting delivery times in half and speeding up parts delivery. Cyr noted that parts for the commercial vehicles are universally available and affordable from local suppliers, and the design makes repairs easier for maintenance teams.
According to Master Sgt. Dakota Ferris, Fuels Operations section chief, the commercial refuelers are intended to be supplementary rather than a total replacement for the R-11 trucks. Unlike the tactical R-11s, the commercial trucks are not currently airlift approved and cannot be deployed for worldwide contingency operations. Ferris stated that balancing the fleet allows the Air Force to preserve deployable R-11 assets for the warfighter while providing reliable fuel support for domestic training and testing missions.
The team at Hill has utilized two trucks for several months and has already provided feedback to AFPET and VSCOS regarding logistical issues, such as short hoses and exposed wires. The team has already addressed some of these issues by ordering longer hoses and placing wires in metal boxes.
Cyr noted that the transition has been fluid due to the team's existing expertise with the R-11. He added that operating multiple types of equipment makes Airmen more mechanically inclined, which can prevent delays by allowing personnel to fix equipment on the spot rather than needing to replace a whole truck.
Currently, 19 commercial 7,000-gallon refuelers have been delivered to six Air Force bases. Additional units are expected to be delivered to 11 more locations by the end of 2026.
