USS Bush

liveoak · 05-06-2008, 22:41 PM

Does ayone know what kind of catapult system the Bush is using? Have they switched to electromagnetic yet, or is it still steam?

Thanks,
Guy

Sea Toby · 05-06-2008, 23:31 PM

With nuclear propulsion, using steam to power the ship, I do not see the need to change. The Bush will have four C13-2 catapults.

I can see the need with the Queen Elizabeths, using gas turbines to propel the ship. Gas turbines do not produce steam.

However, the Gerald R. Ford will have EMALS. General Atomics has been awarded the contract to develop the EMALS electromagnetic aircraft launch system which uses a linear electromagnetic accelerator motor. EMALS demonstrators have been tested at the Naval Air Systems Command (NASC) Lakehurst test centre in New Jersey. It is planned that EMALS will replace the current C-13 steam catapults.

**TopHatter** · 05-06-2008, 23:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sea Toby

With nuclear propulsion, using steam to power the ship, I do not see the need to change. The Bush will have four C13-2 catapults.

No need to change from steam?

Why do you say that?

This summary is from Wikipedia, but it's drawn from the links provided at the bottom. (Bold added by me)

Quote:

The EMALS has a number of significant advantages over the conventional steam driven catapult system, including reduced weight, volume, and maintenance, and increased controllability, availability, reliability, and efficiency.

One of the most important advantages of the EMALS is its simplicity, compared to the existing catapult system. The steam catapult system, which uses about 614 kg of steam per launch, requires extensive mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic subsystems that complicate the launch system as a whole. With the EMALS, launching, braking, and retraction would be performed by the linear induction motor, eliminating a substantial amount of auxiliary components. The EMALS is an entirely stand alone electric system, requiring no steam to be pumped around the ship. This characteristic makes the EMALS easily suitable for integration into the all-electric ships the Navy is currently researching. Its simplicity also reduces the manpower necessary to operate and maintain the system.

The EMALS is also a much more flexible system. Its feedback control system allows operators to control the launch performance with greater precision. This ability makes the EMALS capable of launching a wide variety of aircraft, from heavy fighter jets to lightweight unmanned aircraft. The EMALS could also be easily incorporated into a ramp, which would reduce the aircraft’s required end speed and consequently the launch energy.

The EMALS offers the increased energy capability necessary to launch the next generation of carrier based aircraft. The current steam catapult system can deliver about 95 MJ of energy, while the EMALS is capable of 122 MJ, a 29% increase. The EMALS is also being designed to be much more efficient than the current system, which is only about 5% efficient. With a cycle time of only 45 seconds, the EMALS can launch planes much more quickly than the conventional launch system.
Defense Tech: EMALS: Next Gen Catapult
http://www.lakehurst.navy.mil/nlweb/ieeerevc.pdf

Stan · 05-07-2008, 04:23 AM

My hope is that the work on this moves swiftly and it can be incorporated into the CVF design.

Maybe then we can switch to the f35 C and have hawkeyes

FOG3 · 05-07-2008, 15:22 PM

Wow, Tophatter's little excerpt there covers quite a bit before you even get into reduction of fatigue on airframes meaning you get more life out of them. Not a minor thing considering how much they cost per unit, if you know what I'm saying.

**TopHatter** · 05-07-2008, 18:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FOG3

Wow, Tophatter's little excerpt there covers quite a bit before you even get into reduction of fatigue on airframes meaning you get more life out of them.

Crap I knew I was forgetting something

I wonder what the reduction in noise level will be, especially for the belowdecks personnel.

Not much you can do for the flight deck of course, jet engines are jet engines after all.

But not having that shuttle slamming into the end of the track has got to be lovely thought if you work or sleep anywhere near there.

Dreadnought · 05-08-2008, 09:08 AM

Just think of the time that will be saved and the reliability of the system once the hiccups are worked out.

Although I still would like to try the "football toss" like Owen Wilson does in Behind Enemy Lines.

05-06-2008, 22:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
liveoak New Member Join Date: 06-01-07 Location: Colorado Posts: 15 Country:	USS Bush Does ayone know what kind of catapult system the Bush is using? Have they switched to electromagnetic yet, or is it still steam? Thanks, Guy

05-06-2008, 23:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Sea Toby Patron Join Date: 01-24-06 Posts: 190	With nuclear propulsion, using steam to power the ship, I do not see the need to change. The Bush will have four C13-2 catapults. I can see the need with the Queen Elizabeths, using gas turbines to propel the ship. Gas turbines do not produce steam. However, the Gerald R. Ford will have EMALS. General Atomics has been awarded the contract to develop the EMALS electromagnetic aircraft launch system which uses a linear electromagnetic accelerator motor. EMALS demonstrators have been tested at the Naval Air Systems Command (NASC) Lakehurst test centre in New Jersey. It is planned that EMALS will replace the current C-13 steam catapults. __________________ http://homepage.mac.com/donclark/.Public/waglogo.gif Last edited by Sea Toby : 05-06-2008 at 23:40 PM.

05-07-2008, 04:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
Stan Contributor Join Date: 07-11-06 Posts: 300 Country:	My hope is that the work on this moves swiftly and it can be incorporated into the CVF design. Maybe then we can switch to the f35 C and have hawkeyes __________________ Loving good discussion since 1983

05-08-2008, 09:08 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dreadnought *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 05-12-05 Posts: 4,970 Country:	Just think of the time that will be saved and the reliability of the system once the hiccups are worked out. Although I still would like to try the "football toss" like Owen Wilson does in Behind Enemy Lines. __________________ Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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05-07-2008, 15:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
FOG3 Patron Join Date: 05-04-06 Posts: 167	Wow, Tophatter's little excerpt there covers quite a bit before you even get into reduction of fatigue on airframes meaning you get more life out of them. Not a minor thing considering how much they cost per unit, if you know what I'm saying.

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