Arresting gear, or
arrestor gear, describes mechanical systems used to rapidly
decelerate an aircraft as it
lands. Arresting gear on
aircraft carriers is an essential component of
naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on
CATOBAR and
STOBAR aircraft carriers. Similar systems are also found at land-based airfields for expeditionary or emergency use. Typical systems consist of several steel wire ropes laid across the aircraft landing area, designed to be caught by an aircraft's
tailhook. During a normal arrestment, the tailhook engages the wire and the aircraft's
kinetic energy is transferred to hydraulic damping systems attached below the carrier deck. There are other related systems which use nets to catch aircraft wings or
landing gear. These
barricade and
barrier systems are only used for emergency arrestments for aircraft without operable tailhooks.