NORFOLK, VIRGINIA — The U.S. Navy's newest carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, last week successfully launched a fighter jet using a new electromagnetic launch system. <br /> <br />The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, [d]uses a linear motor drive to launch the aircraft, Military Times reported. <br /> <br />Traditional steam catapult systems uses steam pressure to push the aircraft down the track, while EMALS uses magnetic fields to pull the aircraft forward. <br /> <br />EMALS can control the launch with greater precision and works with a wider variety of aircraft, including light unmanned aircraft and heavy fighter jets. <br /> <br />China says their next aircraft carrier will feature an EMALS system, while India and Britain have also revealed similar strategies.
