Aircraft Launch and Recovery Officers

Aircraft Launch and Recovery Officers run the catapult and arresting‐gear systems on carriers ^[1]. In recent years, these systems have become more high-tech. For example, the new EMALS launch system on Ford-class carriers uses electric motors and computers to automate most of the catapult control ^[2].

Likewise, the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for landings has digital controls and built‐in health monitors ^[2]. These safeguard the gear and trigger alerts, so sailors can spend less time on routine maintenance ^{[2] [2]}. In research experiments, engineers even tag deck crews and planes with sensors and use AI to help plan flight schedules ^[3].

But no fully automatic system runs the deck today: studies emphasize that humans still step in for surprises (e.g. an MIT team noted “we don’t know…how to tell a machine how to handle surprises,” so operators intervene when needed ^[3]). In short, today’s tech is helping these officers by automating routine checks and providing computer tools for safety ^{[2] [2]}, but human oversight and decision-making on the flight deck remain essential.

Introducing AI on a carrier deck depends on cost, safety, and need. On one hand, the Navy expects newer systems will cut costs: EMALS is advertised to “decrease manning and maintenance” over time ^[2], and AAG lets sailors focus on other tasks rather than stick to old gear ^[2]. Using AI for things like maintenance prediction or traffic planning could boost efficiency (research in maritime industries shows AI used in predictive maintenance can improve safety and uptime ^[4]).

On the other hand, carrier operations are high-risk and require proven reliability. AI tools for this niche aren’t off-the-shelf, so implementation requires a lot of testing and money. Sailors and leaders naturally move cautiously: even in advanced tests, systems alert a human if they aren’t sure what to do ^[3].

Overall, while automation promises economic and safety gains, the Navy must balance that with the need for expert human judgment. In the end, officers’ skills in teamwork, quick thinking and training new crew will stay valuable even as AI tools arrive ^{[2] [3]}.