CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. —
Air Force security forces members are required to take charge of their post and protect all personnel and property they are responsible for until properly relieved. Members of the 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron take this charge seriously.
One of their tools is the Active Vehicle Barrier System (AVB). Security forces can employ this system at the installation Entry Control Points to deny, delay and deter hostile acts and potential threats to personnel and resources at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico.
There are risks associated with this valuable tool. During emergency AVB activation, the potential exists for vehicle damage or injury. The system has built-in sensors and signals to mitigate these risks, but it is imperative that drivers at Cannon do their part to ensure everyone’s safety. This includes adhering to posted speed limits, observing AVB traffic lights, and following security forces members’ directions.
The barriers could be activated at any time with little warning, and following these simple instructions will ensure the safety of the personnel the AVB system is designed to protect.
These barriers are capable of stopping inbound threats and preventing adversaries from departing the installation. While the AVB system is complex, the employment is simple; the barriers immediately rise when activated by a security forces entry controller during an emergency, effectively stopping any vehicles attempting to pass through the gate. The system does not completely eliminate threats, but it provides the obstacles necessary to allow defenders to isolate and neutralize threats.
By Tech. Sgt. Shanika Foster,
27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron
Published September 08, 2014
