RAF FAIRFORD, United Kingdom – In preparation for NATO's flagship air exercise, Ramstein Flag 25 (RAFL25), Allied forces installed a Mobile Aircraft Arresting System (MAAS) at RAF Fairford, enhancing safety protocols and operational flexibility for participating air forces.
Most NATO nations require a MAAS or permanent aircraft arresting system for fighter operations.
The MAAS, deployed by the 435th Construction and Training Squadron (CTS) from Ramstein Air Base with support from the 501st Combat Support Wing (CSW), provides essential emergency landing capability for tailhook-equipped fighter aircraft. This marks the first time such a system has been installed at the air base.
A Turkish pilot salutes U.S. maintainers as the F-16 taxiis at RAF Fairford, March 26, 2025. A MAAS was installed and certified for the first time on RAF Fairford in support of Ramstein Flag 2025 (Photo by Jessica Avallone)
A MAAS was installed and certified for the first time on RAF Fairford in support of Ramstein Flag 2025 providing critical safety and operational capabilities for participating NATO forces. ((Photo by Jessica Avallone)
Turkish and U.S. maintainers refuel Turkish F-16s parked at RAF Fairford, in support of Ramstein Flag 2025. (Photo by Jessica Avallone)
A U.S. KC-135 refuels a Turkish F-16 from RAF Fairford, as part of Ramstein Flag 25. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
“Most NATO nations require a MAAS or permanent aircraft arresting system for fighter operations,” said Captain Ryley Paquette, Base Civil Engineer at the 420th Air Base Squadron. “Without it, RAF Fairford could not support Ramstein Flag.”
The system supports the exercise’s dispersed operations concept, enabling safe landings for Turkish and Romanian F-16s deployed at the base. It also ensures RAF Fairford remains available as a diversion airfield during weather or mechanical contingencies, extending its strategic value to NATO.
The MAAS installation involved anchoring to pre-existing concrete pads, followed by load testing and certification procedures.
“Our work directly contributes to protecting lives and military assets,” said U.S. Technical Sergeant Cody Bourff, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Depot Theater Support at RAF Fairford.
Despite tight timelines, the combined efforts of engineers from the 420th ABS, 100th Civil Engineer Squadron (CES), and 48th CES ensured the system was operational before the arrival of participating aircraft in RAFL25. This teamwork exemplified NATO’s integrated approach, with specialists from various engineering disciplines collaborating on-site.
The MAAS will be removed post-exercise, but the deployment provides NATO with valuable experience in agile infrastructure installation — a core component of Ramstein Flag’s emphasis on flexible, distributed air operations across the Euro-Atlantic area.
The RAFL25 exercise, running alongside the Dutch-led Frisian Flag, is designed to enhance NATO’s ability to operate in a complex environment. The exercise will focus on further developing Counter Anti-Access/Area Denial (C-A2/AD), Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD), and Agile Combat Employment (ACE) tactics, techniques and procedures.