Newport News, Va. – Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of former President Gerald R. Ford participated in an event this week to show off the new electromagnetic launch system on the Navy’s newest aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78).
A GoPro was strapped onto one of the weighted sleds before it was launched from the catapult at 160 mph!
The Ford is the first carrier to use the electromagnetic launch system (EMALS). According to Huntington Ingalls, EMALS delivers substantial improvements in reliability and efficiency, higher-launch energy capacity, and more accurate end-speed control, with a smooth acceleration at both high and low speeds. By allowing linear acceleration over time, electromagnetic catapults also place less stress on the aircraft.
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