The 36th Civil Engineer Squadron replaced two Barrier Arresting Kits on the flight line at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, April 26. The BAK-12 is an Aircraft Arresting System that acts as a mechanical barrier capable of rapidly decelerating a landing aircraft. The BAK-12 feeds a cable across the flight line to catch jets and is capable of withstanding 180 knots of force, or 207 miles per hour. “The purpose of the BAK-12 is to save the pilots life in the case of an emergency,” said Staff Sgt. Aaron Tindley, 36th CES barrier maintenance noncommissioned officer in charge. “If their brakes were out, or if there was some sort of damage that prevented them from stopping on the runway, we have our aircraft arresting systems that can come in and take the cable to save the pilot and the equipment.”