What Is AFFF and How Was It Used in the Navy?
Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) is a firefighting agent developed in the 1960s through a collaboration between the U.S. Navy and the 3M Company. Its primary application was suppression of Class B fires — fires involving flammable liquids such as jet fuel (JP-4, JP-5, JP-8). AFFF works by forming a thin aqueous film that cuts off oxygen to a burning fuel surface and prevents reignition.
The Navy adopted AFFF as a standard firefighting agent for flight decks, hangar bays, aviation fuel storage areas, and crash-rescue operations across its fleet of aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and Naval Air Stations. From the late 1960s through the early 2000s, AFFF was used in regular training exercises, live-fire drills, and emergency response aboard ships and at shore installations.
AFFF concentrate contains per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic fluorinated compounds that provide the foam’s film-forming properties. PFAS do not degrade in the environment and accumulate in human tissue over time — a property that has led to their designation as “forever chemicals” in environmental science literature.
Ratings with Documented AFFF Exposure
Certain Navy ratings involved regular, direct contact with AFFF during the course of normal duties. The following ratings have been documented in research and government records as having occupational AFFF exposure:
Aviation Boatswain’s Mates — Fuels (ABF) and Equipment (ABE)
Aviation Boatswain’s Mates assigned to flight deck and hangar bay operations handled AFFF systems directly. ABF personnel managed aviation fuel systems, and AFFF was the primary agent available for fuel-related fires on flight decks. ABE personnel operated catapult and arresting gear systems in environments where AFFF was regularly deployed during drills and actual emergencies.
Damage Controlmen (DC)
Damage Controlmen are the Navy’s primary shipboard firefighting specialists. DCs trained regularly with AFFF as part of their firefighting certification requirements. Shipboard damage control training exercises involved hands-on use of AFFF equipment, and DCs responded to actual fuel and flight-related fires aboard vessels.
Aviation Structural Mechanics — Equipment (AME)
AME personnel maintained aircraft crash-rescue and firefighting equipment, including AFFF dispensing systems. Their maintenance duties brought them into contact with AFFF concentrate and equipment residue.
Naval Aviation Firefighters (Crash Crew)
Shore-based crash-rescue crews at Naval Air Stations, Marine Corps Air Stations, and Naval Air Facilities conducted regular live-fire training exercises using AFFF. Crash rescue personnel at active flight-line installations used AFFF in both training and emergency response contexts.
Enginemen (EN) and Boiler Technicians (BT)
Engineering ratings aboard ships with aviation capability worked in spaces where AFFF systems were installed for machinery space fire protection. AFFF was specified for engine room and machinery space suppression systems on certain vessel classes.
Hull Maintenance Technicians (HT)
Hull Maintenance Technicians maintained ship structure and piping systems including fixed AFFF suppression systems installed in machinery spaces, pump rooms, and aviation fuel areas.
Exposure Pathways
Research and government investigations have identified several pathways through which Navy personnel were exposed to PFAS from AFFF:
Direct contact during firefighting and training: Personnel who used AFFF concentrate or worked directly with foam application equipment had dermal and inhalation exposure during operations. Live-fire training exercises at shore installations involved large-volume AFFF application to training pads, producing foam runoff and vapor.
Contaminated drinking water: The Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program has documented PFAS contamination of drinking water wells at or near military installations where AFFF was used. VA.gov and the ATSDR have published health assessments for multiple affected installations. Personnel residing on base or using base water supplies during periods of contamination had potential oral exposure through drinking water.
Contaminated soil and groundwater: AFFF applied during training exercises and emergency response operations migrated through soil into groundwater at many installations. The EPA has classified several PFAS compounds as contaminants of emerging concern under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Shipboard fixed suppression systems: Aircraft carriers and other aviation-capable vessels had AFFF fixed suppression systems installed in hangar bays and machinery spaces. Activation of these systems during drills or emergencies exposed personnel in the affected spaces.
Timeline of AFFF Use and Regulatory Action
| Period | Development |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Navy and 3M develop AFFF; adopted as standard naval firefighting agent |
| 1970s–1980s | AFFF becomes standard at all Naval Air Stations; regular training use established |
| 1990s | Scientific literature begins documenting PFAS bioaccumulation in human populations |
| 2000 | EPA begins informal review of PFAS compounds in drinking water |
| 2016 | EPA establishes health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water |
| 2018 | DoD begins systematic testing of water supplies at installations with documented AFFF use |
| 2019 | National Defense Authorization Act requires DoD to phase out AFFF with long-chain PFAS compounds |
| 2022 | EPA designates PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA |
| 2024 | EPA sets enforceable maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS compounds in drinking water |
VA Recognition of PFAS Exposure
The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains a PFAS health registry and has published guidance on PFAS exposure for veterans who served at or near contaminated installations. The VA’s public health guidance acknowledges documented PFAS contamination at military installations and provides information for veterans concerned about potential exposure.
Veterans who believe they were exposed to PFAS during military service can contact the VA’s Environmental Health Coordinators at VA medical facilities for information about the PFAS registry and any available health monitoring resources.
More information is available at VA.gov — PFAS.
Research Background
Federal and independent researchers have studied PFAS health effects in occupationally exposed populations including firefighters and military personnel. Studies published in peer-reviewed literature have examined associations between PFAS exposure and kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, bladder cancer, and other conditions. The strength of association and the specific PFAS compounds involved vary across studies. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published a review of PFAS health effects in 2022.
This page summarizes publicly available information from government sources and published scientific literature. It is not a medical or legal opinion.