HII Kicks Off Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System Testing on Navy’s 2nd Ford-Class Aircraft Carrier
HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division started topside testing of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system on the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier. EMALS is designed to replace the steam catapults on the U.S. Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, can operate at a speed of more than 150 miles per hour and works to provide expanded operational capability, more accurate end-speed control and higher launch-energy capacity, HII said Wednesday.