"Testing EMALS Catapults on USS John F. Kennedy: Launching Heavy Cars for Jet Launches"
A new video from shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries shows catapult testing on the US Navy's next supercarrier, the USS John F. Kennedy, involving launching heavy car-like structures to simulate the weight of actual aircraft. This testing is a significant step in the carrier's progress and is part of evaluating the onboard catapults to ensure readiness for launching fixed-wing aircraft. The Kennedy is the second Ford-class supercarrier and features the new electromagnetic aircraft launch system, aiming for more efficient aircraft launching. Despite some delays and inflated costs with new technologies, the US Navy is learning from past mistakes and has two more Ford-class carriers under construction.