Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System: US Navy’s Digital Catapult Revolution in Test Phase

Over the weekend, enthusiasts and experts alike had their attention riveted on a massive development in US naval technology. The reason? The US Navy’s field test of its cutting-edge Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) – a fascinating spectacle that has been circulating in video form in the digital realm.

The Navy is getting set to carry out the inaugural ship-board examinations of this new system, designed as a modern and more technology-savvy replacement for antiquated steam catapults. This innovative system is poised to propel fighter jets and other aircraft off the deck of aircraft carriers, inaugurating not just a new era for the Navy, but also a massive transformation in maritime aviation.

“In June, we’ll start shooting ‘dead loads’ into the James River. The ship is oriented bow out. Marking a significant transition, it will be the first occasion in 60 years that we have catapulted an object off a ship with a technology other than the traditional steam catapult,” explained Rear Adm. Thomas Moore, Program Executive Officer, Carriers.

The EMALS system, which harnesses an electromagnetic field rather than a steam catapult to launch aircraft, is set to be a game-changing element of the new Ford-class aircraft carriers. After years in construction, the first EMALS system is in its final stage of development aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford – the first of this new carrier line expected for Navy deployment next year.

“Two out of the four catapults are totally built. The remaining two are nearing completion,” stated Moore. The under-deck EMALS equipment, which includes a series of transformers and rectifiers designed to convert, store, and distribute electrical power, has been successfully installed.

Moore further explained that the EMALS system’s electrical pulse works to pull the aircraft down onto the catapult, readying it for launch. The system can even customize the force exerted based on the precise weight of the aircraft. This eliminates undue stress on the airframe and significantly reduces maintenance requirements over time.

Additionally, on the ship, EMALS will be engineered in such a way that any of the ship’s four catapults will be able to draw power from any one of the three energy storage groups on board.

The lengthy process of testing this groundbreaking technology, including the creation and integration of the catapult troughs for the USS Ford’s EMALS system, has long been underway at the Naval Air Warfare Center facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

Moore emphasized that these tests have enabled the team to preemptively identify challenges before the system is installed on the ships. The incorporation and testing of the EMALS technology onboard indicate a significant milestone for this program which, until now, has largely been engaged in conducting land-based flight tests at the Navy facility in Lakehurst, N.J.

Ground-based EMALS catapult tests have successfully launched a range of aircrafts, notably EA-18G Growlers, F/A-18 Super Hornets, C-2 Greyhound planes, and E2D Advanced Hawkeyes, among others. Impressively, EMALS has even launched an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lakehurst.

The USS Ford is the first ship of its class to have been under construction in recent years at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls. Equipment for the EMALS system has been in the development phase on board this ship for several years.

One notable feature of the new class of carriers, namely the USS Ford, is its ability to generate 13,800 volts of electrical power – more than triple the 4,160 volts that a Nimitz-class carrier produces. In this way, the EMALS system is practically designed to meet the higher energy requirements of the evolving carrier wing.

Adding to the digital revolution taking place in maritime aviation, it’s worth noting that the EMALS system is set to work in conjunction with the USS Ford’s new Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). Like EMALS, the AAG system is also set to considerably reduce stress on the airframes during the landing process.

The development of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System not only signals a paradigm shift in naval aviation technology, but its successful implementation will help ensure that the US Navy is optimally equipped to face the challenges of our evolving world.

Source: US Defense Tech