Always wondered why an Air Force base had arresting wires. Although, I've gotten pretty good at touching down just past the darn things at VPS. First time I taxied over them for takeoff, I thought I blew a tire, though.
Most military and joint-use runways have two separate and different aircraft stopping systems: arresting gear, and aircraft barriers.
Arresting gear is designed to be engaged by tailhook-equipped aircraft and consists of a wire strung across the runway at various points and either supported by rubber "donuts" designed to keep the wire about 2 inches above the runway surface (that's the case with BAK-6/9/12 and13 or E-27/E-28 at USN/USMC bases), or recessed in a slot on the runway and raised by remote control as needed (BAK-14). When engaged by an aircraft, the wires run out and are connected at each end to a box on both sides of the runway that contains the stopping mechanism. The stopping mechanism consists of brake pads on a caliper that engage a rotor at a certain rate, stopping the aircraft; or a hydraulic "water squeezer" (on BAK-6) that engages a piston pushing against water inside a tube for "hydraulic" stopping ability. On the airport diagram, the arresting gear is depicted as a one-or two-way arrows near the approach, center, and/or departure ends of the runway. One-way arrows indicate single-direction arrestment, two-way arrows indicate bi-directional arrestment ability. See here where it's depicted:
http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/1011/00162AD.PDF
Aircraft barriers are located at the departure ends of the runway and are designed to either "catch" the aircraft's wings, or it's main landing gear. Older systems, such as the MA-1A, consist of a approximately 6 inch high wire hooked to a 2-foot recessed net that lays flat on the runway. As the aircraft passes into the overrun, it's nosewheel runs over the 6-inch high wire causing the 2 foot high net to spring-up and engage the main landing gear of the aircraft, bringing it to a stop in the overrun. Newer barriers, such as the BAK-15, are raised by remote control from the tower and consist of a 23 foot high net supported by stanchions on each side of the runway, similiar to those emergency barriers aboard aircraft carriers, that catch the aircraft's wings as the aircraft passes through it, and stops the aircraft in the overrun. On the airport diagram, the barriers are depicted as a vvvv looking symbol at the end of the runway. On the diagram here, see the departure ends of runways 16 and 25.
http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/1011/00007AD.PDF
Some military aircraft, such as the F-4, F-117, B-52, and some foreign versions of the F-16, still utilize drag chutes that are deployed on landing in order to shorten landing roll in normal ops, and as an abort aid for takeoff emergencies.
Other airports: ABQ has BAK-12/14, while TUS has BAK-12, BAK-12/14, and MA-1A MODified.