arresting gear

English

Noun

A fighter jet that has just caught an aircraft carrier's arresting gear.

arresting gear (countable and uncountable, plural arresting gears)

1. (aviation, military) A system used to quickly decelerate a landing aircraft, essential for landing on an aircraft carrier (although land-based airfields can also be equipped with arresting gear); the most common system consists of a series of transverse wire ropes designed to snag an aircraft's tailhook, connected to a hydraulic or mechanical energy-absorbing system, but other systems exist (typically only for use in an emergency situation) which use a net to slow down an aircraft.

Usage notes

Arresting gear is usually uncountable; the plural form is generally only used when referring to multiple different types of arresting gear.