← Aircraft arresting controls
PAACS Installations at Air Force and Air National Guard Bases
GDS PAACS controls the arresting gear at 50+ Air Force and Air National Guard bases. The table lists the bases in our records, with recent GDS work where it applies. It is not a complete list of PAACS sites.
Air Force qualification
Qualified by the Air Force for BAK-14, BAK-14M and Type H Arresting Systems.
In a February 2017 configuration-control memorandum, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's arresting-system program office named GDS's PAACS as the only qualified radio sole-source system for BAK-14, BAK-14M and Type H aircraft arresting systems certified for USAF use. The memorandum treats the system as a critical safety item and lists Global Data Specialists as the manufacturer of each configuration.
- Air Force and Air National Guard bases with PAACS
- 50+
- Air National Guard bases upgraded under one encryption contract
- 19
- Countries with GDS PAACS work: the U.S., Japan and Qatar
- 3
PAACS Installations by Base
| Base | Location | Arresting system | Controllers | Recent GDS work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al Udeid Air Base | Qatar | BAK-14, dual runway | ACE3600, encrypted | Third-party controls replaced with PAACS for four barriers (2022–2023); tower panel, pit sensors and handheld controllers since |
| Arnold Air Force Base | Tennessee | In service | ||
| Barksdale Air Force Base | Louisiana | ACE3600, encrypted | In service | |
| Creech Air Force Base | Nevada | ACE3600, encrypted | CPU and radio encryption upgrade (2021–2022) | |
| Eglin Air Force Base | Florida | Type H | In service | |
| Hill Air Force Base | Utah | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encrypted tower unit and two control units (2023) |
| Holloman Air Force Base | New Mexico | BAK-15 | MOSCAD | In service |
| Homestead Air Reserve Base | Florida | BAK-14 | ACE3600 | In service |
| Kadena Air Base | Japan | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade, tower panel and handheld controllers (2024) | |
| Laughlin Air Force Base | Texas | BAK-15 | Temporary relocation of controls to a mobile tower (2024) | |
| Minot Air Force Base | North Dakota | BAK-14 and Type H | ACE3600 | Type H upgrade; four BAK-14 systems converted from MOSCAD (2021) |
| Nellis Air Force Base | Nevada | BAK-14 | ACE3600 | In service |
| Robins Air Force Base | Georgia | BAK-14 | In service | |
| Tonopah Test Range | Nevada | BAK-14 | ACE3600 | PAACS training for operating crews (2021) |
| Wright-Patterson Air Force Base | Ohio | Type H and BAK-14 | In service |
| Base | Location | Arresting system | Controllers | Recent GDS work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Base Andrews | Maryland | BAK-14, dual runway | ACE3600, encrypted | Dual-runway PAACS retrofit, pit sensors and shop unit (2020–2021) |
| Joint Base Charleston | South Carolina | Type H | ACE3600 | Security CPU and radio upgrade (2025) |
| Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base | Texas | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | MOSCAD to ACE3600 conversion with encryption (2021–2022) |
| Base | Location | Arresting system | Controllers | Recent GDS work |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center | Michigan | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022); pit gas, water and heat sensors (2024–2025) |
| Atlantic City Air National Guard Base | New Jersey | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Barnes Air National Guard Base | Massachusetts | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Buckley Space Force Base (Colorado Air National Guard) | Colorado | Type H | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Burlington Air National Guard Base | Vermont | Type H | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Duluth Air National Guard Base | Minnesota | Type H | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Ebbing Air National Guard Base and Fort Smith Regional Airport | Arkansas | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | New seven-controller encrypted PAACS (2024) |
| Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base | Indiana | MOSCAD | In service | |
| Fresno Air National Guard Base | California | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center | Mississippi | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | MOSCAD to ACE3600 conversion with encryption (2021–2022) |
| Jacksonville Air National Guard Base | Florida | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | MOSCAD to ACE3600 conversion with encryption (2021–2022) |
| Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station | South Dakota | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base | Oregon | Type H | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| McEntire Joint National Guard Base | South Carolina | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Morris Air National Guard Base | Tucson, Arizona | BAK-14, dual runway | ACE3600, encrypted | Encrypted CPUs and radios (2021); second-runway barrier (2023) |
| Portland Air National Guard Base | Oregon | Type H | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Savannah Air National Guard Base | Georgia | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Sioux City Air National Guard Base | Iowa | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | MOSCAD to ACE3600 conversion with encryption (2021–2022) |
| Toledo Air National Guard Base | Ohio | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade (2021–2022) |
| Truax Field Air National Guard Base | Wisconsin | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022) |
| Tulsa Air National Guard Base | Oklahoma | BAK-14 | ACE3600, encrypted | Encryption upgrade with new radios (2021–2022); PAACS for the new tower (ordered 2026) |
The 2021 Air National Guard contract covered 19 of these bases. Read the encryption upgrade case study or see the full project record.
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