It may sound or look like a sci-fi technology but this system is no longer fiction at all...
It did lauch several jets since december 2010. Started with the F/A-18E Super Hornet in december 18 2010 at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst. And a T-45 Goshawk on June 1-2 2010: Successful launch of a T-45 Goshawk. And the largest of all a C2-A Greyhound on June 9-10 2010 all on the same location at Lakehurst. This was the largest of them in terms of size although the F/A-18 has a more max take off capacity it cannot
carry 30 people with equipments so this jets lauch has a tactical value. As far as i can understand it will replace the steam catapults. But it might not stop there because its literally a perfect system; its cheap, its reliable and less damaging on the equipment such as the stress on the airframes... To be spesific, EMALS reduces the overall operational costs and reduces maintenance over steam catapults. System has less stress on the ship and aircraft systems. With this system the "ford-class" may have fixed-wing launch capability. It also needs lesser fresh water.
carry 30 people with equipments so this jets lauch has a tactical value. As far as i can understand it will replace the steam catapults. But it might not stop there because its literally a perfect system; its cheap, its reliable and less damaging on the equipment such as the stress on the airframes... To be spesific, EMALS reduces the overall operational costs and reduces maintenance over steam catapults. System has less stress on the ship and aircraft systems. With this system the "ford-class" may have fixed-wing launch capability. It also needs lesser fresh water.
EMALS uses a linear induction motor (LIM), which uses electric currents to generate magnetic fields that propel a carriage down a track to launch the aircraft...
Its simple working mechanism makes it even better as i mentioned it will reduce the maintenance costs... The only down side to some is the enormous energy needs of the system which is drawn from ship and stored
kinetically on rotors of four disk alternators.
Each rotor can store more than 100 megajoules, and can be recharged within 45 seconds that time frame is very important because its faster than steam catapults. Its better in all aspects.
My personal view, this technology reminds me of the railgun technology because they are using similar technologies and the only difference is railgun moves a bullet with the same magnetic field generated push and EMALS is lauching a jet but the princple is the same and can be explained by the Loerntz force. So it all started with rediscovery of the magnetic power with the railgun...
On the other hand, ConvertTeam from United Kingdom is also working on a similar technology called electro-magnetic catapult (EMCAT) system for their new upcomming Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier/s. This also brings the question, will UK drop their F-35B buy or change it to F-35C which is the carrier variant and also $25 million cheaper version...
Well i thnik that will depend on how well the EMCAT tech performs with F-35C's but no matter what i personally think UK will buy both versions and later on they will focus and use mainly the F-35C variant.
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