Military Tents for Forward Operating Sites

September 16, 2021
Category: Uncategorized

Alaska Small Shelter System with a raised Alaska CORADEX® flooring system

Military operations often require forward operating sites (FOS) to support sustained missions that require small-scale, permanent facilities.

Unlike forward operating bases (FOB), main operating bases (MOB), and cooperative security locations (CSL), which typically have permanent large forces and are well-defended, a military FOS is designed ro rotational forces. As a result, the facilities used at a forward operating site must be highly deployable, scalable, and easy to relocate as mission requirements evolve.

Because of these operational demands, military tents play a critical role at forward operating sites, especially when missions extend into harsh or cold-weather environments. From housing personnel to protecting vehicles, and equipment, the right tent infrastructure is essential to mission success.

Alaska Defense^® has 50 years of proven experience engineering and designing the most widely used military tents to seamlessly integrate and support any mission, including forward operating sites.

Key Requirements for Military Tents at Forward Operating Sites

Military tents used at forward operating sites must meet specific operational and environmental requirements, including:

Rapid deployment to support dynamic missions
Scalability to accommodate changing troop levels
Cold-weather and extreme-environment performance
Compatibility with Environmental Control Units (ECUs)
Integration with command, hygiene and maintenance systems
Ease of transport and redeployement

These requirements set the operational baseline for military deployment tents supporting forward operating sites.

Types of Military Tents for Forward Operating Sites

Alaska Defense provides a wide range of military tents perfect for meeting the varying needs of forward operating sites:

1. Alaska XP^® Shelter System

The Alaska XP^® Shelter System is a rapidly deployable military shelter system designed to be deployed in less than 10 minutes to support expeditionary missions.

Available in 12’, 14’, 16’, and 20’ widths and varying heights and lengths. It offers multiple height and length configurations to meet a wide range of operational requirements.

alaska xp16 shelter system from alaska defense exterior

2. Alaska Small Shelter System ^®

The Alaska Small Shelter System^® is the most popular military shelter system used around the world.

Fully operational in less than 20 minutes, the Alaska Small Shelter System can fulfill many operational requirements, including:

Billeting facilities for NCO housing
Commander and officer housing
Command and Control (C2) facilities
Company-sized Tactical Operation Centers (TOC)
Medical facilities

It provides flexibility while maintaining in demanding environments.

Exterior of Alaska Small Shelter System® configured and equipped with Alaska EnerLayer® and the Alaska Solar Fly®

3. Alaska Medium Shelter System™

The Alaska Medium Shelter System™ is a multipurpose military tent designed to support mid- to long-term deployments. While it can be configured to accommodate billeting needs, it is primarily used for:

Dining facilities (DFAC)
Communication and command centers for situational awareness (SA)
Maintenance and repair space
Storage facilities for military vehicles and equipment.

At 30’ wide, with lengths between 32.5’ and 65’ and a peak height of 15’, this medium shelter can even serve as a military hangar for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (TUAV).

4. Alaska 40’ Shelter System (AK40)

The Alaska 40’ Shelter System (AK40) is 40’ wide and available in lengths ranging from 30’ to 120’ with a peak height of 20’.

The AK40 is designed to fulfill:

Large Area Maintenance Shelters (LAMS)
Morale, Recreation, and Welfare (MRW) facilities
Reception, Staging, Onward-Movement, and Integration (RSOI) facilities
Large dining facilities to feed more military personnel at a time

These large military tents deliver the space, clearance, and durability required for complex operational needs.

soldier walking towards hummer parked inside shelter

Additional Products to Support Forward Operating Sites

1. Alaska Twin Bed™

Alaska Defense offers metal-framed twin beds with 5” and 7.5” thick mattresses to accommodate military personnel.

These beds assemble quickly, pack flat for efficient transport or storage. A generous 22” clearance creates extra storage space for soldiers’ belongings, rucksacks, or A/B bags.

Alaska Defense's Military Metal Beds inside a Military Shelter

2. Alaska Containers™

Looking for a reusable transport container for Alaska Military Shelter Systems? Alaska Containers™ are weather-resistant, watertight, and can be stacked to make efficient use of space at forward operating sites.

They can carry up to 2,500 pounds and are available in aluminum or rotationally molded plastic.

Open Heavy-Duty Reusable Containers from Alaska Defense

3. Showers and Latrines

Alaska’s expeditionary shower and latrine systems are soft-walled and specifically engineered for supporting rapid deployment strategies, including a military FOS.

The Alaska Shower-In-A-Box™ and Alaska Latrine-In-A-Box™ are designed to integrate into any military tent system from Alaska Defense, and are available in four-, six-, eight-, or 10-person configurations.

4. Environmental Control Units (ECUs)

The Alaska ECU^® is a rugged, portable military HVAC unit designed specifically for supporting military operations in extreme hot, cold, humid, or dusty climates.

Our military ECUs quickly attach to any Alaska military tent to keep personnel comfortable when deployed to a forward operating site or forward operating location (FOL).