It was in year 2000 that Polartherm delivered the first ground support heaters to US Air Force. Since then a total of 5600 units have been delivered to Air Force Bases all over the world from Alaska to Antarctic. Eielson AFB is one of the AFB’s using ground support heaters manufactured by Polartherm.

With very few warranty issues and a minimal spares parts need, the units have operated to full satisfaction of the users and maintainers around the world.

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Something old, something new, something VERY DIFFERENT

The Canadian Army awarded us (our partner DEW Engineering ULC and us, Polartherm) a contract for Field Heating Equipment, a program in which the Canadian Army wanted to equip their forces with new generation, robust and reliable equipment to heat both air and water in extreme field conditions. Altogether some 2300 space heaters and 600 water heaters were eventually delivered. But not exactly as planned… Read more…

Conditions aside: let there be heat!

One of the requirements that US Air Force had for their new ground support heater back in 1999 was that it should start at -25°F/-32°C. The test was conducted at McKinley climatic laboratory at Eglin Airforce Base and the NGH-1 passed the test without any problems.

Thule Air Base is the U.S. Armed Forces’ northernmost installation, located 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle and furthermore Thule is home to the northernmost deep water port in the world. Thule has a polar climate which means long and cold winters. 

There are several NGH-1 heaters at Thule Air Base where the temperature may get as low as -50°C so the performance of the heater is in Thule often put to real test also.

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Story of two water bottles

The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) has a large Antarctic research station at McMurdo on the Antarctic. The McMurdo Ground Support Group approached us in 2007 asking if our NGH’s could be used on the Pole itself also.  The big question was the Altitude: the South Pole elevation is 3 km (10,000 feet). It was not certain if the heater and the included Diesel engine would work in the thin air at this elevation.

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The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) was established in 1983. Its area of responsibility (AOR) includes countries in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, most notably Afghanistan and Iraq.

Many of the Polar BEAR 130 field space heaters were delivered to AOR countries like Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

A large number of Polar BEAR 130 field space heaters are used by the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) that is a Major Command of the United States Air Force. PACAF comprises four numbered Air Forces, nine main bases and nearly 375 aircraft.

The command’s area of responsibility extends from the west coast of the United Statesto the east coast of Asia and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, more than 100,000,000 square miles (260,000,000 km²). The area is home to nearly two billion people who live in 44 countries.