What is the purpose of the Catapult and Arrest Gear crews on a flight deck?

The primary responsibility of the Catapult and Arrest Gear crews on a flight deck is to deploy and retrieve aircraft. This function is crucial for the operation of naval aircraft carriers, where aircraft must be launched quickly and safely from the deck and also recovered effectively after their missions.

The catapult is a system designed to propel aircraft off the flight deck at high speeds, allowing them to take off in a short distance. The arresting gear, on the other hand, helps safely bring aircraft back to the deck from flight, as they land at high speeds. The coordination of these systems requires a specialized crew trained to manage the intricacies of launching and recovering aircraft, ensuring operational efficiency and safety for both the aircraft and the crew on the deck.

Since the other choices relate to different aspects of operational support (such as refueling, baggage handling, and radar operations), they do not pertain to the specific functions of the Catapult and Arrest Gear crews, further underscoring the correctness of the chosen answer.