New machine makes materiel storage, retrieval easier

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicole Spence
  • 435th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) --  A new mechanized cargo-handling machine here will make materiel storage and retrieval easier.

The 60-ton Elevated Transfer Vehicle is a part of the Department of Defense Mechanized Materiel Handling System. The $11 million system, the largest in DOD, is being installed at the new air freight terminal here.

The ETV moves air freight pallets to and from staging docks and storage locations and is the "heart" of the system, said Hans-Juergen Kraska, 723rd Air Mobility Squadron project manager for the air freight terminal. It is capable of rotating pallets and scanning their shape, which in enables operators to load them in a safe and efficient manner.

The system can hold up to 524 pallets. The ETV can move up to 80 pallets an hour, said Mr. Kraska.

“Much of the cargo movement will be automated rather than performed by (several) people,” he said. “This does not mean it will take (fewer) people to handle the air cargo requirements at Ramstein, but will make the (squadron) more efficient because it can (use its people) where needed.”

People’s jobs will be easier because of the new ETV, according to Ted Diakiw, Air Force Materiel Command’s logistics support office industrial engineer. In a place where forklifts and manual labor do the job, such a machine is likely to modernize the system, he said.

“It’s a significant step forward for the (people in the ) 723rd AMS, because they have used sweat, muscle and forklifts for so long to perform their mission. Now we are headed for information and technology to reduce the dependency on (manual labor),” said Mr. Diakiw.

The system was designed using the most current level of technology common in the commercial air-cargo industry. This makes operations, maintenance and future upgrades easy, said Mr. Diakiw, since they can track and incorporate industry improvements.

The new system will also provide greater control of the cargo inventory. That means faster and more efficient handling of cargo such as parts, food and medical supplies.

The system will be tested for two months and is estimated to be fully functional and in use by October. A second transfer vehicle will be arriving here in April. (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service)