LAKEHURST, N.J. -- On Wednesday, April 18, an Aircraft Launch and Recovery (ALRE) Readiness Summit meeting was held at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Lakehurst on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

In attendance were Vice Adm. David Architzel, commander, NAVAIR; Vice Adm. Allen Myers, commander, Naval Air Forces; Rear Adm. Donald Gaddis, Program Executive Office Tactical Aircraft Programs; Rear Adm. John King, commander, Naval Supply Corps, Weapons System Support; Rear Adm. Dennis FitzPatrick, commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic; Rear Adm. (select) Richard Butler, head, Naval Aviation Programs; Brig. Gen. (select) Matthew Glavy, Aviation Expeditionary Enablers; Garry Newton, deputy assistant commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations and Kathleen Donnelly, director, Support Equipment and Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment department.

The purpose of the summit was to discuss and provide updates on the ALRE systems that are developed and managed by NAVAIR as they relate to fleet readiness. According to Architzel, “the catapults and arresting gears on our carriers must continue to work so consistently, that our pilots never need to give a thought as to the reliability of the equipment we provide them.”

During the one day summit, attendees discussed ALRE metrics and issues, visited Prototyping & Manufacturing, examined the MK 7 Arresting Gear, toured the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training facility, the Aviation Data Management and Control System and Carrier Analysis labs, the Aircraft Carrier Aviation Integration Test facility, surveyed the Expeditionary Airfield Matting facility, visited the Runway Arrested Landing Site and Jet Blast Deflector, Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear test sites and observed the compact swaging machine.