New BASH cannons prevent wildlife hazards

  • Published
  • By 2d Lt. Ashley Wright
  • 374 AW/PA
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Here at Yokota, we share the skies with more than just our own aircraft.

As an airlift wing, one of the many considerations we take into account when we fly is how we can prevent wildlife hazards to our aircraft. The 374th Airlift Wing Safety Office's Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard program plays a huge role in mitigating those hazards. 

"There is a long history of [wildlife strikes] happening," said Capt. Eric Iversen, Flight Safety Officer for the 374th Airlift Wing, "Our BASH program is in place to reduce the occurrence of any strike, because every strike has the potential to cause a problem."

The safety office replaced a key component of their program, BASH cannons, with a new model Friday. 

"The old system... is about ten years old. [It] was showing significant wear," Iversen said.

The new 22-cannon system will be significantly easier to maintain than the previous system, which utilized a tape deck as opposed to a pre-programmed computer chip for sound. Similar to the old system, the new cannons will be powered by energy-efficient solar panels.

"The system is remotely activated. It can also be activated from the master station," said Master Sergeant Brian Bermudez, Flight Safety Noncommissioned Officer.

The system will also use propane to create the cannon sounds. 

"[The BASH cannon sounds] can be predator sounds or scare sounds," Bermudez said, "I know with crows, if one of them makes a distress call, the others will listen and they'll all start cawing and they'll leave the area."

The BASH cannons themselves are only a single part of the overall BASH program. The program also regulates grass length, water drainage, preventative perching measures and hangar netting to prevent nesting. 

"Civil Engineering also engages in a trapping program to try and catch any prey species on the airfield," Iversen said. 

Once trapped, wildlife is taken to an off-base animal shelter.