HII has started testing the catapults on aircraft carrier
John F Kennedy
with dead-load launches.
(HII)

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) unit has started testing of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on aircraft carrier
John F Kennedy
(CVN 79), marking a major milestone for the ship, HII confirmed on 21 February.

After testing catapults one and two – the bow cats – with no-load launch movements, NNS workers and
Kennedy
sailors started the dead-load testing, HII acknowledged in a release.

For the dead-load testing, large, wheeled car-like structures of graduated weights up to 80,000 lb (36,287.4 kg) to simulate the weight of actual aircraft are launched off the carrier’s bow into the James River bordering the shipyard in Virginia, HII said.

The dead loads are retrieved and relaunched until the conclusion of the test programme to ensure the catapults are deemed ready to launch all US Navy (USN) carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft.

Officials connected with the Kennedy programme told
Janes
earlier this month that dozens of dead-load shots have been launched.

Kennedy