USAF/RAF Base UK — Mission Critical Aviation Fuel Tank Refurbishment
Introduction
UCL Ltd was appointed to refurbish a mission-critical bulk aviation fuel tank at a RAF base in the UK. The existing internal lining had reached the end of its service life, posing a risk of fuel contamination and asset degradation. Works were delivered in accordance with UFGS-09 97 13.17 for JP8 (F-34) fuel storage.
Our Solution
UCL Ltd removed the deteriorated lining and installed a new multi-component fuel-resistant coating system. Surface preparation used robotic magnetic crawlers for shell and soffit areas, automated track blasting for floors, and manual blasting for detailed sections. All steelwork was prepared to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2½ / SSPC SP-10 / NACE No.2 standard, achieving a 75–100 micron profile using expendable mineral abrasive. Surfaces were inspected and cleanliness-tested in accordance with the project ITP under Level 3 NACE supervision, before substrates were coated with a high-performance lining system engineered for long-term immersion in JP8 (F-34) aviation fuel.
Key Benefits
- New lining system with a 20+ year design life
- Protection against corrosion and fuel contamination
- Reduced long-term maintenance liability
- Full compliance with US military specification
- Level 3 NACE-supervised inspection throughout
Conclusion
UCL Ltd delivered a fully compliant fuel tank refurbishment within a live military aviation environment. Through controlled preparation, specialist equipment and in-house NACE inspection expertise, long-term asset integrity was restored, ensuring continued safe storage of mission-critical aviation fuel.
