[tharkun__]

The article goes into that.

The model provided by -the manufacturer- correction NAVAIR (thanks OP!), stated that the cable will bounce up after having been hit by the landing gear. Thus the hook design made sense. The cable jumps up and over the hook. Plane arrested.

Instead, again as the article states, the cable is actually being pressed tightly against the flight deck and the elevated hook nose makes the entire hook get thrown up in the air when drawn over the tight cable, back towards the plane and would even destroy some parts of the monitoring mechanisms, so violently did that happen.

They also provide the new design, which is basically the old design and that is also why the techs that saw the new hook for the very first time (and know about the cable I presume) instantly said "That ain't gonna work!".

It's all in there.

[euler_angles]

Minor correction, the wire dynamics model was provided by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Navy engineering organization in control of research, development, test, evaluation, and sustainment of Navy aircraft.

[tharkun__]

Thanks! Corrected my comment.

I would actually love to know if someone on the hook design team questioned the model. I guess we won't know but I also it doesn't hurt to ask.

Like did someone go: odd, why would that cable go up and not tighten when waves are sent through it towards the outward attachments? But was inevitably shut down and didn't have "access to the customer" to ask/verify.

Like one of the first things to ask for when having to design this that comes to my mind is: I want high speed camera footage of current arrestor in action at the customer site!