HII Begins Topside EMALS Testing on John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) at Newport News Shipbuilding
22 February 2024 - 6:30AM
HII (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding
division (NNS) recently began topside testing of the
electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on aircraft carrier
John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).
EMALS, first integrated into USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78),
replaces the existing steam catapults currently in use on the U.S.
Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.
Following successful “no-load” testing on catapults one and two,
known as the ‘bow cats,’ the NNS team, alongside the John F.
Kennedy crew, has now started “dead-load” testing. In this phase,
large, wheeled, car-like structures of graduated weights up to
80,000 pounds to simulate the weight of actual aircraft are
launched off the carrier’s bow into the James River. They are then
retrieved and relaunched until the conclusion of the test program
to ensure the catapults are ready for their primary intended
purpose: to launch all carrier-based fixed wing aircraft flown by
the U.S. Navy.
The first dead loads used in this testing have special
significance. Family members of shipbuilders signed them with
messages of congratulations and gratitude during the shipyard’s
Family Day held in October.
Photos and video accompanying this release is available at:
https://hii.com/news/hii-newport-news-shipbuilding-carrier-cvn-79-dead-load-testing/.
“As we make sustained progress in the construction, testing and
turnover of John F. Kennedy, reaching the dead load testing phase
is a visual demonstration of how far we’ve come,” said Lucas Hicks,
vice president, John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) new construction aircraft
carrier program. “It is evident from the thousands of written
messages that our shipbuilders and their families appreciate and
understand the significance of our work. We are proud of the
incredible teamwork that has brought us to this point, and remain
committed to delivering this mighty aircraft carrier to the fleet
so the crew can carry out the important mission ahead.”
“The first dead-load launch off the flight deck is a historic
moment for PCU John F. Kennedy, and a testament to the power of
great teamwork between our JFK crew, HII team, and NAVAIR
engineers,” said CAPT Colin Day, commanding officer, PCU John F.
Kennedy (CVN 79). “I’m particularly proud of our Air Department and
the hard-working Aviation Boatswain Mates who worked tirelessly
alongside the engineering and testing teams to get us to this
critical moment.”
Traveling more than 300 feet down the catapult track at more
than 150 miles per hour, EMALS provides expanded operational
capability at reduced costs, higher launch-energy capacity, and
more accurate end-speed control, with a smooth acceleration at both
high and low speeds. The launch profiles have been optimized to
reduce stress on the aircraft, in contrast to the sudden
acceleration of steam catapults.
Kennedy is the second Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier
under construction at NNS, which is the nation’s sole designer,
builder and refueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. In
addition to Kennedy, two other Ford-class carriers are under
construction at NNS: Enterprise (CVN 80) and Doris Miller (CVN
81).
About HII
HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HII’s mission is
to deliver the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions
in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers
to protect peace and freedom around the world.
As the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, and with a more
than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII
delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned
systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in
Virginia, HII’s workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information,
visit:
- HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/
- HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII
- HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII
- HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII
Contact:
Todd CorilloTodd.T.Corillo@hii-co.com(757) 688-3220
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2e040a04-5924-451d-af9d-fba19ea8a160
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