An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Feb. 8, 2012

LOXing the fleet: a cold, cold day in the Air National Guard

By Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Daniel Heaton 127th Wing

SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. - Some days are much, much colder than others on the flight line at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., where Airmen say the coldest day is LOX servicing day.

Liquid oxygen, commonly referred to as LOX, is used by the Air Force to provide breathing oxygen for pilots in its fighter aircraft. When oxygen gets to about 300-degrees or so below zero, it becomes a liquid and takes up considerably less space than it does in its more common gas form.

The Air Force, and other operators of high-performance aircraft, use liquid oxygen on aircraft so that they are able to provide a substantial supply of oxygen to the aircraft's pilot and crew without taking up a lot of space and adding extra weight with large, bulky air tanks.

Wearing doubled gloves, a leather apron and a full face mask, Airman 1st Class Zak Skelton needs only a few minutes per aircraft to ensure that each of the A-10 Thunderbolt II's on the flight line at Selfridge are topped off with LOX and ready for the next mission.

Skelton and other crew chiefs with the 127th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Selfridge generally refill the aircraft LOX tank in each A-10 once per week - or more often if needed. The crew chiefs refer to the process as "LOXing the fleet."

Depending on the duration of the flight and the particular pilot who flies in the aircraft, each A-10 can fly 2-3 sorties before it needs to be refilled with LOX again, said Tech. Sgt. Juan Lopez, an A-10 crew chief in the Michigan Air National Guard.

"Every pilot is a little different," Lopez said. "Some use more air than others. And, naturally it depends on how long they fly."

Each A-10 can hold about five liters of LOX.

Because liquid oxygen boils at approximately 298 degrees below zero, handling it requires special precautions, such as the gloves and face shield Skelton put on prior to re-filling the aircraft. A cloud of escaping cold, white vapor is a regular feature of LOX operations.

Skelton also pointed out that since LOX is pure oxygen, it is highly flammable, so safety is key to working with it.

Skelton recently completed his initial technical school as a crew chief at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, spending almost six months in school, followed by about a month of additional hands-on training at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. He's been a member of the Michigan Air National Guard for about two years.

 

 

Related Articles
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian Searcy, the Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Army National Guard, addresses attendees of a warrant officer caucus session during the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) conference in Milwaukee, August 24, 2025. The 147th NGAUS General Conference and Exhibition – which is held annually to connect delegates from all 54 states and territories to discuss the future of the National Guard – took place August 21-25 and featured various events and social gatherings throughout Milwaukee to showcase Wisconsin’s rich history and heritage.
Searcy Leaves Legacy of Advocacy for Warrant Officers in Army Guard
By Lt. Col. Carla Raisler, | Aug. 28, 2025
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Chief Warrant Officer 5 Brian Searcy, the eighth command chief warrant officer of the Army National Guard, will retire later this year after more than three decades of service.Searcy marked the occasion this...

The 111th Electromagnetic Warfare Company conducts training exercise, Operation Golden Corridor in Dahlonega, Georgia, August 15, 2025. Throughout the duration of the exercise, Soldiers simulated peer and near-peer electromagnetic warfare scenarios and enhance unit proficiency in spectrum mapping, RF detection, and alternative radar awareness capabilities under austere conditions.
Georgia Guard Company Leads in Electromagnetic Warfare Modernization
By | Aug. 27, 2025
DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The Georgia Army National Guard’s 111th Electromagnetic Warfare Company, based in Forest Park, Georgia, is rapidly establishing itself as a leader in the Army’s modernization efforts within the...

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion 182nd Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, and the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry Regiment, New York Army National Guard, participated in the annual Logan-Duffy Shooting Match, August 21, 2025, at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. The history of the Logan Duffy Rifle Match goes back nearly 90 years to the first match, which was held in 1936.
Massachusetts, New York Guard Members Compete in Historic Logan-Duffy Rifle Competition
By Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton,   | Aug. 27, 2025
DEVENS, Mass. – Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, and the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, New York Army National Guard, participated in the annual Logan-Duffy...