US Navy’s Advanced Arresting Gear system cleared to arrest all “props and jets” aircraft

The US Navy’s newest aircraft carrier Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system has received the green light to recover all “props and jets” aircraft.

The Aircraft Recovery Bulletin (ARB) released Aug. 2 states that the new carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will be able to operate the heavier Greyhound and Hawkeye propeller aircraft once it returns to sea.

The ARBs enable propeller aircraft: C-2A Greyhound, E-2C Hawkeye and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, and jet aircraft: F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and E/A-18G Growler to perform flight operations aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).

“The entire team did a tremendous job accelerating the schedule and working through challenges,” said Capt. Ken Sterbenz, program manager for the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment program office (PMA-251). “This achievement is another significant step toward ensuring the system can support the ship’s full airwing.”

ARBs are official Navy instructional documents identifying the weights and engaging speeds authorized for shipboard arrestments of specific aircraft, along with other pertinent information.

“Release of the ARB’s signifies ‘Naval Air Systems Command’s stamp of approval’ for the AAG system to safely recover these type/model/series aircraft aboard the Navy’s newest class of aircraft carriers,” said Jeff Mclean, deputy program manager for AAG System Design and Development.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is the lead ship in the Ford-class of aircraft carrier, the navy’s first new class of aircraft carriers in more than 40 years. The AAG system is designed to arrest a greater range of aircraft, reduce the fatigue impact load to the aircraft, and provide higher safety margins while reducing manpower and maintenance. AAG is one of more than 20 new systems incorporated into the Gerald R. Ford class design.