What role do landing gear tires play on the aircraft?

Landing gear tires primarily function to evenly distribute the weight of the aircraft across the runway during takeoff, landing, and ground operations. This distribution is essential for maintaining structural integrity and ensuring that the runway surface is not damaged by concentrated loads. By spreading the aircraft's weight over the surface, the tires help to prevent excessive stress on any single point of the runway, which can lead to deformation or cracking over time.

Understanding this aspect highlights the importance of proper tire maintenance and management, as worn or improperly inflated tires could fail to adequately distribute weight. The other options do not accurately reflect the primary role of landing gear tires; for instance, while tires might indirectly influence some aspects of noise or performance, their main function revolves around weight distribution and ground handling.