Advanced Arresting Gear

Advanced Arresting Gear
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) · Public domain · source
Name	Advanced Arresting Gear
Type	Shipboard aircraft recovery system
Country	United States
Service	United States Navy
Manufacturer	General Atomics
Introduced	2010s
Used by	United States Navy

Advanced Arresting Gear The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) is a carrier-based aircraft recovery system designed for United States Navy United States Navy aircraft carriers to replace legacy Hanging Gear systems on Nimitz-class and enable operations on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. It integrates electromechanical and hydraulic technologies to recover fixed-wing aircraft including F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and future F-35C aboard Naval aviation platforms, aiming to enhance sortie rates and reduce deck stress.

Overview and Purpose

The AAG was conceived to meet requirements set by Naval Air Systems Command and Office of Naval Research for increased reliability and compatibility with a range of aircraft from EA-18G Growler to unmanned platforms such as X-47B and MQ-25 programs. It is intended to replace components from legacy systems associated with World War II-era concepts developed through the postwar expansion of Naval Aviation doctrine and lessons from operations like Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, improving integration with Ford-class carrier systems and Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System developments.

Design and Components

AAG's architecture includes an energy-absorbing engine, arresting cable, purchase cables, and a centralized control rack sourced from contractors including General Atomics and suppliers formerly linked to projects with Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon Technologies. Primary components reference design heritage from systems tested at Naval Air Warfare Center and facilities used by National Aeronautics and Space Administration research partners. Structural interfaces tie into carrier flight decks and island configurations developed alongside Ingalls Shipbuilding and Newport News Shipbuilding yards. Control systems incorporate electronics influenced by programs at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and signal processing work by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers.

Operation and Technology

The AAG uses a combination of rotary and linear energy absorbers with an electromechanical motor, flywheel assemblies, and hydraulic dampers to modulate arresting loads for different aircraft types, reflecting test algorithms developed in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Computerized control links to shipboard networks overseen by Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and interfaces informed by standards from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers research. Sensors and telemetry share heritage with avionics suites from Northrop Grumman and flight-deck signaling systems modeled on innovations from United States Marine Corps expeditionary designs. The system allows variable energy extraction to reduce airframe fatigue on platforms such as SH-60 when necessary, and supports arrested recoveries of test vehicles evaluated by National Naval Aviation Museum teams.

Development and Testing

Development began as a competitive program managed by Program Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers with milestones coordinated with Office of the Secretary of Defense portfolios. Early testing occurred at shore-based test sites like Landing and Recovery Board ranges and at contractor facilities shared with General Dynamics and Bell Helicopter projects. Flight trials on carriers involved squadrons from CVW-1 and CVW-8, with instrumentation support from Naval Air Systems Command telemetry units and analysis by teams associated with Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The program experienced schedule impacts similar to those in Zumwalt-class destroyer and Ford-class related programs, prompting iterative design reviews led by Government Accountability Office audits and congressional oversight by United States Congress defense committees.

Deployment and Variants

Initial AAG installations were prioritized for the lead Gerald R. Ford carrier, followed by retrofit plans for existing Nimitz-class carriers during availabilities performed at shipyards like Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Variants include shore-based test units, reduced-capacity configurations for training squadrons at Naval Air Station Patuxent River and full-capability racks for operational carriers. Integration work paralleled efforts for Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and collaborations with industry partners such as Boeing phased maintenance teams and Huntington Ingalls Industries integration crews.

Safety, Maintenance, and Training

Safety protocols drew upon standards promulgated by Occupational Safety and Health Administration for shipyard work and by American Society of Mechanical Engineers guidelines adapted to naval aviation contexts. Maintenance procedures were codified by Naval Sea Systems Command and maintenance depots including Fleet Readiness Center Atlantic and Fleet Readiness Center Southwest. Training pipelines incorporated syllabi from Naval Aviation Schools Command and hands-on curricula at Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana to certify arresting gear operators and maintenance technicians, with simulation tools developed with assistance from Carnegie Mellon University and University of Maryland research labs.

Operational History and Incidents

Operational integration began with sea trials during carrier certifications led by Commander, Naval Air Forces staff and carrier strike groups assigned to United States Third Fleet and United States Fleet Forces Command. Testing and early deployments encountered technical challenges that led to deferred certifications noted in congressional hearings involving leaders from Department of the Navy and contractors represented at briefings with Senate Armed Services Committee. Lessons from incidents influenced updates similar to post-incident analyses from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) trials and corrective actions coordinated with Naval Safety Center and industry partners. Continued deployments support carrier air wings including squadrons affiliated with CVW-7 and training detachments at Naval Air Facility El Centro.

Category:Shipboard arresting systems