U.S. Navy and industry partners worked together to launch the first deadloads from the flight deck of PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) on February 14.

The deadload testing yielded important performance data for the ship’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and marked the first of many test launches from the carrier as her Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) is commissioned.

A joint test team comprised of personnel from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Supervisors of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair (SUPSHIPs), General Atomics (GA), and Carrier and Field Service Unit (CAFSU) used one of the ship’s catapults to launch 9-80,000 lb. carts simulating aircraft into the James River. With valuable data in hand, the team is planning and preparing for future testing on the ship’s four catapults.   

Capt. Michael Kline, PMA-251 program manager, called the testing and data collection a major accomplishment for the launch and recovery community, industry partners, and the U.S. Navy.

“The successful second installation of Ford-class launch and recovery equipment promises CVN 79 the same advantages USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) utilized on her first operational deployment in 2023,” said Kline. “The joint team expertly conducted the test, collected valuable data, and identified new areas for research. We’re excited to continue learning about EMALS through these efforts.”

Joseph Wolfe, Lead EMALS test engineer, has worked on the EMALS program for 18 years, supporting the technology from its inception and development to its installation and use on Gerald R. Ford. Today, he leads many commissioning processes for EMALS on John F. Kennedy.

“It’s hard to describe how rewarding this process is,” said Wolfe. “Nearly 20 years ago, our team was very small, working long hours, and under a tremendous amount of pressure to bring success to a program we knew would be monumental for the U.S. Navy. Fast forward to where we are now, not only did we commission 78, but she finished her deployment with great success, and we can bring that success to [CVN] 79 – that’s beyond rewarding.”

Wolfe and the EMALS test team utilized all the lessons learned from USS Gerald R. Ford’s (CVN 78) first operational deployment as they began testing for EMALS on John F. Kennedy. Additionally, EMALS test efforts benefit from the collective knowledge of John F. Kennedy’s Ships Force who are already trained on Ford-class launch and recovery systems. 

EMALS for John F. Kennedy also bears all the same improvements delivered to CVN 78, including several Engineering Change Proposals, software upgrades, and knowledge garnered from testing and deployment.

“We re-wrote our certification manual based on the lessons we learned on CVN 78, and incorporated them into appendices and procedures for CVN 79. It was a lot smoother from that perspective,” said Wolfe.

Cmdr. Jocelyn Liberg, PMA-251 deputy program manager for Ford CVNs, said ALRE’s progress on John F. Kennedy is the product of years of dedication and expertise.

“As we test our Ford class-systems on the second CVN of its class, we have the opportunity to pull from many lessons learned since the first EMALS deadload testing for CVN 78 in 2015,” said Liberg. “Nearly a decade later, we’re continually building on that experience and ensuring our warfighters have the tools they need.”