A bomb detonates during a VIP demonstration for Raven's Challenge, the world's largest bomb squad training, in Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
This week Marana was home to one of four stops in this year’s Raven’s Challenge, the world’s largest bomb squad training. 18 combined teams of military explosive ordnance disposal specialists and state and local public safety bomb squads will go through a series of regional exercises that are focused on tactics. The goal: to exchange ideas on how to best neutralize improvised explosive devices.
Scenarios range from up-and-coming issues like juvenile crimes to manual booby traps. The program runs on a non-evaluative environment, where participants judge themselves on how they approached different scenarios.
Raven's Challenge Subject Matter Expert David Bebout talks to Raven's Challenge attendees about the different impacts that can be left depending the type of explosive used at Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Program Manager Greg Smith says this opportunity allows personnel at every level of public safety to exchange ideas they would not normally have done before. For example, historically local law enforcement have been more interested in gathering evidence for investigations and prosecutions.
“As things developed, the military’s become much more adept and interested in collecting evidence both in Iraq, Afghanistan. That exchange between the military and civilian public safety has enhanced both sides' capabilities.”
A bomb technician from a Seattle Police Department works with an Army EOD specialist to remove a lunch box that is deemed to be an explosive out of a commercial aircraft in Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Tucson Police Department’s Special Operations Commander Thomas Hawk was a first time attendee. He believes it will help TPD create deeper relationships with state and federal agencies.
“Getting this training in now and getting those relationships and partnerships will be beneficial in the event that there is a major, critical incident where these teams all have to come together.”
A group of military members attending the Raven's challenge stand underneath a decommissioned aircraft at Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
While the training happens in different cities each year, training is different in Marana. Subject Matter Expert David Bebout says bringing the event here allows for training on commercial aircraft since there is a ‘boneyard’ of decommissioned planes.
“It’s quite unique because it’s hard to get on an aircraft that is actually in service to use as we know the complexity and the cost of an aircraft.”
Explosive ordnance device technician Brenden Moore puts on the EOD 10 bomb suit with the assistance of three other peers as he prepares to neutralize an explosive on a drone in Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Years ago, the Pinal Airpark was home to the Marana Army Airfield during World War II. The area at the time was used as a destination for Air Force Units to train.
Since then, it has become home to the largest commercial aircraft storage facility in the world and is used by National Guard Units and Special Operations. Now, trainees may be able to practice scenarios on commercial aircraft that they would not have had access to before.
Explosive ordnance device specialist Brenden Moore walks away from drone simulation after placing a camera that will x-ray the device to see what it is made of at Pinal Airpark in Marana on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
For professionals like EOD technician Brenden Moore, this allowed him to test his skills in scenarios like drone simulations. Before he goes to set up an x-ray of the improvised explosive device, Moore gets dressed in an EOD 10 bomb suit that weighs approximately 120 pounds. Designed to protect him from a one pound block of TNT, the suit is made of kevlar and ceramic plates.
Explosive ordnance device specialists sit inside a vehicle examining the x-ray of an explosive on a drone at Pinal Airpark in Marana on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
When asked why he chose to specialize in explosives engineering, he said:
“I like blowing stuff up. It’s a good adrenaline rush and I enjoy the work.”
But, Moore has yet to experience a blast in the suit saying he is “really good at his job.”
A robot sits outside during a drone explosive simulation at Pinal Airpark in Marana on Thursday, March 2, 2023. The robot is used during explosive disposals to keep personnel out of harm's way.
Raven’s challenge has grown from a national initiative to a program that is recognized internationally. This year, attendees came from as far as Denmark and Belgium.
An explosive nicknamed the "Hollywood bomb" detonates during a VIP demonstration for Raven's Challenge, the world's largest bomb squad training, in Pinal Airpark on Thursday, March 2, 2023.
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