Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System(EMALS) allows for a “soft launch” which saves wear and tear on an aircraft’s nose gear. Steam catapults violently jerk an aircraft at launch which leads to an abundance of maintenance issues on the air frame. EMALS should reduce the money spent on air frame/nose gear repair and catapult piping overhaul saving billions over the life of the carrier.
EMALS may also allow for more launches per hour verses steam. EMALS also requires a lot more electrical generation (bigger steam driven generators), whereas steam catapults already have a source from the boilers.
I served on CVA-42, ‘60-’62. I was in catapults and operated a console that launched the aircraft.
The hold-back on the rear of the aircraft prevented a violent jerk on the front of the aircraft when the shuttle launched the aircraft.
NOTHING was attached to the nose gear and there was wasn’t a violent force on the gear. There was a bridal attached to two hooks under the nose of the aircraft and around the shuttle, as well as two cables to retain the bridal on the boom (horn) when the aircraft lifted off the deck.
We had a squadron of A-3D Sky Warriors, weighing about 55-60 thousand lbs. with a nuclear load, and had no problem launching them.
That old CVA (FDR) was a sister ship to the Midway and Coral Sea carriers. ...I’m confident that modern CVNs can generate the steam power to launch today’s aircraft. EMALS appears to be a very expensive and unproven alternative, but I welcome any improvements.