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A tailhook, also called an '''arrestor hook''', is a device attached to the rear of an aircraft to achieve rapid Deceleration after landing, usually for use while landing on an Aircraft Carrier .

Many aircraft that land on aircraft carriers are equipped with a simple piece of equipment called a tailhook. A ''tailhook'' is a strong metal bar with one end attached to the aircraft. The other end of the strong metal bar is flattened out, thickened somewhat, and fashioned into a claw-like hook that resembles the human hand when the fingers are two-thirds closed.

Aircraft land on the Flight Deck of an ''aircraft carrier'' at an area located close to the stern of the ship (far from the bow). Three or four (depending on the class of carrier) very greasy and very strong thick flexible cables called arresting cables or Arrestor Wires are positioned in the landing area. When an aircraft lands properly, its ''tailhook'' will engage one of the very greasy cables and the cable will transfer the energy of the aircraft to the belowdecks Arresting Gear engines which will stop the aircraft.

The pilot is capable of raising a ''tailhook'' to its inflight position or lowering it for landings. "Hook down" is a phrase spoken by naval aviators. Helicopters and other aircraft that are able to fly vertically are not equipped with ''tailhooks''.

Some military Airfields are also equipped with arrestor cables to permit the landing of suitably equipped heavy or fast aircraft within a limited Runway length.

The term ''hooked'' is sometimes applied to a naval (carrier) version of a landplane, the term referring to the presence of an arrestor hook.

A number of land-based military aircraft, especially fighters, are also equipped with tailhooks, the purpose of these hooks is different: Rather than to bring the aircraft to a halt in normal operation, they are intended to slow an aircraft that has suffered brake failure: in the event of disc brake failure, the tailhook engages cables attached to sandbags, which work in concert with the Air Brake to slow the airplane to a halt.