Photo By Senior Airman Michael Killian | New breaching tools are put on display at the breaching symposium at MacDill Air Force...... read more read more
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MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. — The 6th Security Forces Squadron is set to revolutionize their breaching capabilities with the introduction of new battery hydraulic breaching kits, designed to penetrate Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility doors previously considered impenetrable. This innovation, resulting from a collaboration with AFWERX and a breaching equipment company, marks a significant advancement in security and emergency response operations.
In 2021, the 6th SFS embarked on two small business innovation research projects. Their objective was to enhance the battery hydraulic breaching kit, making it quieter, lighter, more powerful, and more efficient. The result, a revamped kit, allows police officers nationwide to utilize it with minimal training.
By 2023, the project team shifted their focus to a more challenging problem: breaching hardened facilities and SCIF doors. Conventional tools like battering rams could hardly put dents into these steel behemoths during high-risk incidents, such as active shooter situations.
The team conducted real-world tests, breaching actual SCIF doors at a cost of $25,000 per door. After successfully breaching three doors, they developed the first-ever SCIF breaching tool, hinge puller, and SCIF training door. The SCIF training door allows military, law enforcement, and first responders worldwide to conduct real-time, repetitive training at a fraction of the cost, reducing expenses to less than one dollar per use.
“This gives our breachers the ability to get through hundreds of doors with little to no effort,” said U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. William Au, the 6th SFS emergency services team non-commissioned officer in charge of confinement and police services. “What the hydraulic kit offers is the ability to get into hardened facilities where mechanical tools can’t.”
The development of these tools culminated in a breaching symposium, where 20 SWAT teams from federal, local, and state agencies participated and validated the new equipment. This event showcased the capabilities and effectiveness of the breaching kits, highlighting their potential to enhance security operations across various agencies.
“My goal is to get this breaching kit into every SFS squadron and police department nationwide,” said Jason Atkinson, the 6th SFS emergency services team chief of flight operations. “If these tools help save one police officer’s life, then the effort we put into developing them will have all been worth it.”
Since the project's completion, 50 police departments have already started to follow MacDill’s example. The battery-powered hydraulic power unit, SCIF door breach tool, and hinge puller tool have all undergone rigorous testing, proving their effectiveness and reliability in high-stakes scenarios.
With these advancements, the 6th Security Forces Squadron is not only enhancing their own capabilities but also setting a new standard for security operations across the nation. The introduction of these innovative tools underscores the commitment to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of first responders in the most critical situations.
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2024 15:54 |
| Story ID: | 472038 |
| Location: | TAMPA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 831 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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