The nose gear holds the aircraft in a level attitude during ground operation. It also gives shock protection to the aircraft during landings. The nose gear doors give aerodynamic smoothness to the fuselage when the nose landing gear is retracted in the wheel well.

The nose gear has two wheels, a shock strut, a nose gear harness, a drag brace, a drag brace harness, and two auxiliary downlock springs. The control of the nose gear is through electrical components. The left hydraulic system operates the extension and retraction mechanism of the nose gear.

The nose gear retracts forward and up into a wheel well. A mechanical uplock holds the nose gear in the retracted position.
A spring-operated external lock mechanism on the drag brace mechanically locks the nose gear in the extended position.

When the nose gear is retracted, an aft door and two forward doors fully close the nose-gear wheel well. Two control rods attach the aft door to the nose-gear shock strut. A hinge attaches the aft door to the aircraft structure. The two forward doors attach with hinges to the left and right sides of the wheel well and they operate mechanically.

There are two forward-door mechanisms. Each of these mechanisms has a link which operates a bell crank and a control rod. When the nose gear is retracted, the mechanisms pull the two forward doors to the fully closed position.