Laughlin continues support of firefighting efforts in Mexico Published April 19, 2011 By U.S. Northern Command public affairs LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Two Department of Defense C-130 aircraft continued to support Mexican firefighting efforts to control wildfires in the Mexico state of Coahuila April 18 by launching six aerial fire-fighting missions from here. The C-130s, from the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and under the command and control of U.S. Northern Command, dropped approximately 18,000 gallons of fire retardant on the wildfires. To date, the unit has conducted 13 missions over Mexico, dropping 39,000 gallons of fire suppressant and retardant. These drops have been in coordination with the Comisión Nacional Forestal (CONAFOR), the National Forestry Commission of Mexico. The aircraft are equipped with the U.S.D.A. Forest Service Modular Airborne FireFighting System, a self-contained aerial firefighting system designed for installation on the C-130 aircraft without major structural modifications to the planes. At the request of the Mexican government and U.S. Department of State, USNORTHCOM deployed the two C-130 aircraft to Laughlin AFB on April 16 to assist Mexico's fire-fighting efforts against the wildfires that have burned more than 245,000 acres in Coahuila. For more information, contact USNORTHCOM Public Affairs at 719-554-6889 or 719-304-6097.