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By FLTLT Lauretta Webster

Volume 49, No. 4, March 22, 2007
 
SMART STORAGE: LAC Bradley Postle (left) and CPL Kevin Downing from 1SQN Equipment Section with the newly-designed fly-away kit, which greatly reduces the weight of equipment for deployments.
Photo by SGT Rod Skilton
 
MEMBERS of 1SQN had success with the trial of their newly-designed fly-away kits when they deployed them for the first time on Exercise Red Flag recently.

The kits were deployed for the two week fast-jet exercise, held at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, USA.

Before the new design was introduced, 1SQN deployed their consumable sub-stores (CST), publications (PUBS) and fly-away kits (FAK) within two room-size containers, which weighed about 1134kg, without the contents.

This placed severe weight restrictions on the essential equipment that could be transported for a deployment and was ineffective when it came to finding the appropriate stores.

Last September, a team of six from 1SQN Equipment Section came up with the new weight-effective structure made out of plastic containers and alloy pallets, weighing in at about 726kg when empty, a saving of 408kg from the previous design.

The material used comes from the same manufacturer who provides military trunks and the concept allows flexibility for long or short deployments.

The alloy pallets provide a significant weight drop from the previous steel pallets.

The plastic stackable boxes enclose clearly labelled stores making them easily accessible.

The design has proven successful and 1SQN is looking forward to testing its versatility further with future deployments.