CATAPULT ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIERl

[chicopee]

How can such launching speeds be attained with the referenced system . I have always been fascinated by such system yet I have no idea about its mechanics. An explanation is appreciated

 

[SteveFehr]

We have 12 operational aircraft carriers:

Three non-Nimitz class:
USS Kitty Hawk (very soon to be decommned)
USS Enterprise
USS John F. Kennedy (up in their air whether it will be decommed or extended for another decade+)

The rest are all Nimitz class:
USS Nimitz
USS Eisenhower
USS Carl Vinson
USS Theodore Roosevelt
USS Abraham Lincoln
USS George Washington
USS John C. Stennis
USS Harry S Truman
USS Ronald Reagan

And soon to be commissioned (replacing Kitty Hawk):
USS George H. W. Bush

The Enterprise is significantly different in layout and structure than the other ships. The Kennedy and Kitty Hawk have some significant differences from the Nimitz Class, but are structurally very similar and the catapults are very same design, too. Some of the older (now-decommed) ships were significant different, too. This could very well be a difference between ships of the class, or just subjective differences in what we consider "noticible"

 

[WKTaylor]

chicopee..

Take a look at MIL-L-22589 "Launching System, Nose Gear Type Acft"...

Regards, Wil Taylor