Photo essay: Establishing a forward area refueling point in Japan Published March 23, 2011 YAMAGATA AIRPORT, Japan (AFNS) -- Airmen assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Group offload fuel from an MC-130P Combat Shadow while establishing a forward area refueling point here March 17. A forward area refueling point provides the capability to offload fuel to storage devices or other aircraft, increasing an aircraft's range by creating a refueling point where typically no fuel exists. The fuel here will be used for search and recovery teams supporting Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief. View the slideshow.