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.
These newer ships (including the USS Zumwalt) are designed to have the excess electrical capacity to run these types of things.
QUESTION:
Why can’t the launch valve open a bit more slowly?
Less stress on the aircraft, etc......?
EMALS may also allow for more launches per hour verses steam.
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Not sure what you mean...
Using port and starboard catapults, we were launching an aircraft every 2 minutes (giving adequate time for the previous aircraft to clear the area). Steam pressure was not a problem, time-wise, as the taxiing, hold-back and hook-up took more time.