Description:

AAG is a new system developed for the Navy’s future aircraft carriers and is installed on board USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78); the system will also be installed on the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and the future USS Enterprise (CVN 80). AAG is a modular, integrated system consisting of energy absorbers, power conditioning equipment and digital controls, designed as the follow-on to the Mark-7 (Mk-7) arresting gear. The Navy is currently utilizing the Mk-7 Mod 3 and Mk-7 Mod 4 designs on all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

The AAG architecture, Health Monitoring Assessment and Prognostics technology, and digital control system provides built-in test and diagnosis, resulting in the system requiring less maintenance and manpower to operate than the Mk-7. This change in architecture is designed to provide higher reliability and safety margins, while allowing Sailors to focus on other areas of need. The system is also designed to allow potential arrestment of a broader range of aircraft, from the lightest unmanned aerial vehicles to the heaviest manned fighters.

Benefits:

• Employs advanced technologies to provide higher reliability and safety margins
• Requires less maintenance and manpower to operate than the legacy arresting system
• Recovers all current and projected future carrier-based aircraft, from the lightest unmanned aerial vehicles to the heaviest manned fighters
• Allows for increased sortie rates, lower energy consumption and a decreased gross ship weight

Specifications:

Primary Function: Carrier aircraft recovery
Contractor: General Atomics
Date Deployed: N/A
Program Status: Program of Record for Ford-class carriers
Production Phase: In test and production