The Arizona Air National Guard, in collaboration with like the Wyoming Air National Guard (153rd Airlift Wing) and California Air National Guard, have undertaken training at Fort Huachuca Tanker Base with the U.S. Forest Service as part of their annual preparation for up and coming wildfire season, with the training focused on the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS).

The annual training took place at Fort Huachuca and included certifying aircrews, lead plane pilots and support personnel in aerial firefighting, providing vital surge capacity when commercial tankers are fully committed. Exercises simulate extreme conditions, including flying at maximum gross weight, very low altitudes, and slow speeds, particularly in mountainous terrain.

The airfield's strategic location allows aircraft to respond to fires throughout southern Arizona and the Southwest, the tanker base is officially scheduled to open from April when the wildfire season begins.