Bak Is Back! First Barrier Arresting Kit Installed At Acc Base In 20 Years!

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 18, 2009 – Aston PA- It’s been 20 years since a new Barrier Arresting Kit has been installed on a U.S. Air Force, Air Combat Command (ACC) base. But that came to a “creeching” halt when a USAF F-16 fighter certified a new Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK) at Nevada’s Creech Air Force Base on January 26, 2009.  

Prior to the BAK-12/BAK-14 installation; only a BAK-12 was in service at the base. The BAK-12 runway cable is only supported by rubber donuts which elevates the cable three inches above the runway. The BAK-14 Retractable Hook Cable Support System (RHCS) holds the cable “at the ready” for fighter aircraft and retracts below the runway surface allowing an unobstructed runway for both UAV and commercial aircraft operations.
   
The arresting gear manufactured by Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation (ESCO) was installed by Prime Contractor RL Reed, Inc. a Builder/Contractor based in Las Vegas NV. According to John Viney, ESCO’s field service technician, it was amongst the finest installations that he ever witnessed.  Most importantly, this consulting oversight demonstrated the critical service that ESCO provides to the United States Air Force- it’s largest customer.

Creech Air Force Base is literally on America’s front line in our global war on terror.  There, personnel are trained to remotely fly and operate our most sophisticated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Due to the small size of the UAV landing gear, it is imperative that they do not roll over an arresting cable.

UAV’s are becoming more and more prevalent at installations around the globe. The obvious solution for ACC was to install the ESCO BAK – 14  RHCS System. This system allows air traffic control personnel to quickly retract (lower) the cable within a trough to allow safe passage by light aircraft such as the UAVs at Creech.

About the BAK-14
The BAK 14 system consists of a set of mechanically-operated cable support units, which are embedded in a concrete trough spaced at intervals of 8 feet (2.4m) across the runway. The support units are interconnected by a narrow trough section which accommodates the arresting cable. All of the support units are interconnected both electrically and pneumatically and are actuated by remote control from the ATC tower, or from the manual back up controls at the runway site. For reliable operation at temperatures below 0° C (32° F), optional thermostatically-¬controlled electric heaters can be fitted to the trough and cable support units to prevent ice formation and freezing.

Operation
To remove the hook cable from the runway surface the spring-loaded cable supports are compressed pneumatically to lower the cable down into the trough and below the runway surface. When the emergency arrestment of a military aircraft is imminent, the pneumatic lock is released by the tower operator and the cable automatically raises above the runway surface. During an arrestment the hook cable automatically releases from the rubber blocks mounted on each support unit. Rewinding of the arresting system tapes after an aircraft arrestment restores the cable to its original position for re location into the support blocks.


About Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation
For more than 50 years, Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation, the cornerstone of Zodiac’s Emergency Arresting Systems Divisions (EASD), has harnessed mechanical energy to provide customized arrestment and containment solutions for aircraft and transport vehicles. To learn more visit, www.esco.zodiac.com

About Creech Air Force Base
Located in Indian Springs Nevada, Creech AFB is home to the 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing "Hunters" under Air Combat Command's 12th Air Force. The 432d also reports to U.S. Air Forces Central. The 432d Wing and 432d AEW consists of combat-ready Airmen who fly the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to support American and Coalition warfighters. The unmanned aircraft systems provide real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and precision attack against fixed and time-critical targets.