Aircraft carriers rely on an arresting gear system — a complex network of steel cables and hydraulics — to stop jets landing at high speeds on their short decks. When a pilot lands, the jet’s tailhook catches one of several arresting wires stretched across the deck. Each wire is made of high-tensile steel and anchored to a series of pulleys connected to massive hydraulic cylinders below the surface. As the cable is pulled out, the hydraulic system absorbs the jet’s kinetic energy by forcing flui

The arresting cable on an aircraft carrier is a key component of the arresting gear system, designed to rapidly decelerate landing aircraft like the F-35C Lightning II upon touchdown. Here’s how it works: Arresting Cable System for F-35C • Purpose: It safely stops the aircraft in a short distance to prevent it from rolling off the carrier. • Mechanism: The F-35C has a tailhook that catches one of the arresting cables stretched across the deck. • Type: The Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system is