ABEs: Backbone of the Flight Deck

摘要

If an aircraft carrier did not have Aviation Boatswain's Mates (Equipment), also known as ABEs, carriers would just be carrying aircraft. Flight operations wouldn't be possible, and one of the carrier's primary missions couldn't be accomplished. ABEs assigned to USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), work with first-in-class technology known as Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). USS Ford's ABEs are specifically charged with learning these new systems and with paving the way for future Ford-class aircraft carriers. "On a Nimitz-class carrier it's hydraulics, here it's mostly electrical," said ABE1 Kimberley O'Donnell, assigned to USS Ford's Air Department as the Arresting Gear Leading Petty Officer (LPO).