General Atomics Completes First C2-A Greyhound Aircraft Arrestment Tests

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) successfully completed the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system of its first C2-A Greyhound aircraft at the Runway Arrested Landing Site (RALS) in Lakehurst, N.J., on May 24.

The next day, AAG successfully completed its first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye arrestment, with the E-2C+ Hawkeye following on June 8.  GA-EMS, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy, is conducting AAG Performance Testing for the C-2A, E-2C+, and E-2D aircraft at RALS in preparation for the commencement of testing aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). 

“This latest round of demonstration and testing is another major step toward bringing AAG to full air-wing readiness,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “Both AAG and EMALS continue to perform with great success. We are working closely with the Navy to thoroughly exercise these systems and test their range of capabilities to launch and recover the full spectrum of carrier-capable aircraft as the Navy advances CVN 78 toward its deployment target date.”

“Since the carrier’s July 2017 commissioning, the AAG system aboard CVN 78 has successfully arrested the F/A-18 Super Hornet 747 times,” stated Rolf Ziesing, vice president of Programs at GA-EMS.  “We are now in the next phase of AAG capability and performance testing targeting heavier, prop-based C-2A, E-2C and E-2D aircraft. We’ll continue both roll-in and fly-in testing throughout the summer.  Once RALS testing is completed, the aircraft will be cleared to begin testing aboard CVN 78.”

AAG is a turbo-electric system designed for controlled and reliable deceleration of aircraft.  AAG is installed aboard CVN 78 along with the GA-EMS Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), which uses electromagnetic technology to launch aircraft from the deck of naval aircraft carriers. Both systems have been successfully tested during at-sea periods on CVN 78, and are currently in production for the future John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) and Enterprise (CVN 80).