READY MAT CONCEPT:

The Air Force flies and fights from its air bases. However, it is at the air base that air power is most vulnerable. They can be most immediate and lucrative targets for an adversary. After all, it is by far more effective to destroy aircraft while they are on the ground than to hunt them in the air. From a practical perspective, it is reasonable to say that during some phase of a conventional conflict, repair of airfield pavement damage will be one of the civil engineer's primary wartime missions. It is a complex and difficult tasking that requires the total commitment of all involved to succeed. Proper preparation must be accomplished prior to the moment of need... for time will not be available during the conflict to accomplish...

Read More

READY MAT BACKGROUND:

American military leaders recognized the vital need for airfields to support operations in all theaters of operation. This could mean repairing and maintaining existing airfields quickly and at times close to the front as possible. To provide this level of support, Aviation engineers experimented with several different runway materials. For example the attempt to construct and repair airfields with wooden planks proved too costly and labor intensive. Precast concrete was another alternative but after extended testing it was too heavy and not feasible. However, work continued and by the mid 1990's HQ Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency (AFCESA) had perfected the Folded Fiberglass Mat (FFM) System that is the...

Read More
Folded Fiberglass Mat Specifications
A standard FFM weighs approximately 3,000 pounds and consists of nine (9) fiberglass panels. Each panel is 6 feet wide, 30 feet long, and approximately 3/8 of an inch thick.
Rapid Runway Repair System
Rapid Runway Repair System ~ Hinged Folded Fiberglass Mats (FFMs) were designed specifically to effect repair on runways damaged as a result of aerial attack.
Runway Edge Marketing System
Rapid Mat produces a Minimum Operating Strip (MOS) Runway Edge Marking System which includes: Edge Markers and Distance-To-Go Markers. This MOS Marketing System allows for.
Portable Helicopter Landing Pad System
Option1: Includes 2 each Operational Folded Fiberglas Mats (FFMs). Each FFM consists of 9 (6'x30') panels (1/4 inch thick) linked by elastomer hinges and weighs about 3,200 pounds.