Catapult and arresting gear officers give the final signal to a pilot before takeoff — colloquially named "shooters" after their distinctive, crouched pose before a fighter jet catapults off the flight deck.
Beyond conducting an aircraft launch through a series of hand gestures and poses, shooters have a number of other responsibilities to ensure a safe takeoff.
"The catapult officer is responsible to ensure the catapult is prepared and ready to launch aircraft, the aircraft is properly configured to launch, all personnel are in their proper position, and any observers are behind the foul lines," Lt. Cmdr. Robert Neff, a shooter aboard George Washington, told DoD News.
"We inspect the entire catapult system, the jet-blast deflector, and input our calculations for wind to determine how much steam is needed to launch aircraft," Neff added.