Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. -- ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. – The streets of Arnold Air Force Base are on the way to being cleaner and safer thanks to a newly acquired street sweeper.
The new sweeper, an A7 Tornado, is a 2024 model and a $271,000 asset to the base, according to Lynn Boles, AEDC Logistics Manager.
“Arnold AFB has a brand-new sweeper after a seven-year wait,” Boles stated. “We had a sweeper back in 2018, but it was in such bad shape that it wasn't operational, and it was scrapped in 2020. The new sweeper was recently issued to Civil Engineering.”
According to Chief of Logistics and Health Services William Russell, street sweepers play a “crucial role" on base beyond just keeping the roads clean.
“While often overlooked, the simple street sweeper plays a pivotal, yet critical, role in safeguarding the Air Force's operational readiness and ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars,” Russell explained. “The recent acquisition of a modern sweeper here at Arnold AFB is not merely an upgrade, but a necessity for the execution of safe, predictable, and ultimately successful test operations. Beyond its aesthetic contribution to our roadways and parking facilities, this vital piece of equipment is our primary defense against Foreign Object Debris and other potentially catastrophic hazards within our runway, test mission and munitions storage areas. In these sensitive areas, the consequences of unchecked debris are unacceptable with costly and potentially grave outcomes.”
Russell added that as AEDC’s infrastructure “undergoes continuous transformation,” assets such as these are imperative to helping things move forward.
“As the installation’s physical infrastructure undergoes continuous transformation and our operational tempo steadily increases, the forward-thinking authorization of additional sweepers is not merely prudent, but an imperative. The simple street sweeper is unequivocally a force multiplier, delivering an incalculable return on investment that directly contributes to the safety, efficiency and long-term success of our critical mission. We must recognize and prioritize this essential component of our operational environment.”
The new sweeper is currently operational and made its first sweep in May.