NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. - Congressional, Navy and industry leaders gathered Nov. 12 at a system functional demonstration site on Joint Base McGuire–Dix–Lakehurst, N.J. (JBMDL) to initiate a launch of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System’s (EMALS) armature.

“Today is a critical milestone; the launch of aircraft is now in sight,” said Capt. Randy Mahr, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment program manager.

The armature ceremonially cut through a ribbon at the test facility. The EMALS program recently completed installation of the full-scale carrier representative catapult exhibited at the day’s ceremony.

“Today is not about cutting a ribbon. It is about the Sailors who spend every day, regardless of the weather, on the three and a half acres of Navy flight deck. They deserve the delivery of EMALS,” said Mahr.

The functional demonstration of the system’s armature movement represents more than six years of construction, equipment installation and integration at Lakehurst, where industry and naval test engineers worked to build the shipboard representative future carrier system.

EMALS launch capability is centered on linear induction motors that run the length of the catapult. The motors propel the shuttle (or armature) with enough force to launch aircraft.

“We are demonstrating the functional capability of the EMALS system,” said George Sulich, EMALS integrated program team lead. “This carrier representative system contains the power and infrastructure necessary for dead-load and aircraft testing.”

The shuttle is attached to rollers on the catapult and is propelled down the length of the track by the electromagnetic field produced by linear induction motor stators. The force moving down the catapult allows the attached aircraft to reach the necessary speed for take-off.

EMALS is designed to achieve increased sortie rates and reliability, while reducing operational and support costs, as well as wear and tear on carrier-based aircraft. The system will provide the capability for launching all current and future carrier air wing platforms – lightweight unmanned to heavy strike fighters.

Engineers at JBMDL will begin dead-load testing this fall with the first aircraft launch scheduled for summer 2010 with an F/A-18 Hornet.

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