Electromagnetic system to replace steam launch systems on US Navy carriers

A fighter plane taking off from a strike carrier is a dramatic sight - not the least because of the woosh and plume of steam as the catapult blasts the aircraft into the air. In a few years, such launches may still be dramatic, but they'll also be a bit quieter and very plume-free. That's because the US Navy has completed testing of its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS); clearing it for use on the new Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carriers...