[wolverine876]

Due to the planes and to the rest of the tailhook (the shank, etc.), they could hit at different angles, speeds, etc. That's just a guess, however.

Each plane costs ~$100 million and the entire program will cost over $1 trillion when it's done. Performance needs are extreme: They need to land in all sorts of adverse, imperfect conditions - damage to the plane, the carrier, the wire, the personnel; bad weather; bullets and missiles flying around. It seems worthwhile to design the highest-performing tailhook for this plane, rather than to save a few bucks.

Also, IME people doing something this sophisticated don't miss those really simple, obvious issues that we happen to be able to observe and grasp from the outside.