{"id":190932,"date":"2026-04-03T11:46:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T09:46:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T10:15:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T08:15:48","slug":"zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero to 165 MPH in Two Seconds: How Carriers Launch Jets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style>\n\n\n\r\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;margin-bottom:24px;font-size:15px;line-height:1.6\">\r\n<thead><tr style=\"background:#1a1a2e;color:#fff\"><th colspan=\"2\" style=\"padding:12px 16px;text-align:left;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:0.5px\">Quick Facts<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"background:#f8f9fa\"><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600;width:40%\">Steam Catapult (C-13)<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">0 to 165 mph in under 2 seconds; uses 1,200 lbs of steam per launch<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">EMALS (Electromagnetic)<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">0 to 180+ mph; uses linear induction motor instead of steam<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background:#f8f9fa\"><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">Aircraft Weight<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">Up to 100,000 lbs (F\/A-18E: ~66,000 lbs loaded)<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">Catapult Stroke<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">~310 feet (94 meters)<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background:#f8f9fa\"><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">G-Force on Pilot<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">3\u20134g for 2\u20133 seconds<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">Launch Rate<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">One aircraft every 20 seconds at surge tempo<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background:#f8f9fa\"><td style=\"padding:10px 16px;font-weight:600\">EMALS Ships<\/td><td style=\"padding:10px 16px\">USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79)<\/td><\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody><\/table>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=1739636555  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/b\/bc\/US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squadron_Three_Seven_%28VFA-37%29_is_moved_into_position_for_launch.jpg\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squadron_Three_Seven_%28VFA-37%29_is_moved_into_position_for_launch.jpg\" alt=\"F\/A-18 Hornet on aircraft carrier catapult ready for launch\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An F\/A-18 Hornet is positioned on a steam catapult aboard a U.S. Navy carrier. In under three seconds, it will accelerate from standstill to flying speed. (Photo: U.S. Navy \/ Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The pilot shoves the throttles to full military power. The engines scream to maximum dry thrust \u2014 22,000 pounds per engine on an F\/A-18E Super Hornet. The aircraft strains against the holdback fitting like a sprinter in the blocks. The catapult officer gives the signal. The holdback breaks. And in the next two seconds, the aircraft accelerates from zero to 165 miles per hour across 310 feet of flight deck.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Three to four g pushes the pilot into the seat. The ship&#8217;s bow disappears under the nose. The ocean fills the windscreen. And then \u2014 either the aircraft is flying or it isn&#8217;t. There is no second chance. The deck ends. Below it is the sea.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This happens roughly 100 times a day on a U.S. Navy carrier during flight operations. It is one of the most violent, precise and spectacular mechanical events in all of aviation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:22px\">Steam: The Old Way<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>For over 70 years, the steam catapult has been the standard launch system on American and French aircraft carriers. The principle is deceptively simple: superheated steam from the ship&#8217;s nuclear reactor is stored in accumulator tanks below the flight deck. When the catapult fires, that steam is released into a pair of cylinders that run beneath the deck. A piston inside each cylinder is connected to a shuttle \u2014 the metal fitting that hooks to the aircraft&#8217;s nose gear.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The steam expands explosively, driving the piston forward at enormous speed. The shuttle drags the aircraft along with it. In less than three seconds, a 66,000-pound Super Hornet has gone from stationary to takeoff speed. The energy required is equivalent to accelerating a pickup truck from zero to 150 mph in one second. The catapult does this with nothing but pressurised water vapour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Each launch consumes roughly 1,200 pounds of steam. The accumulators refill in seconds from the ship&#8217;s reactor. At surge tempo, four catapults can launch an aircraft every 20 seconds \u2014 putting an entire carrier air wing airborne in minutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:22px\">The Engineering Problem<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Steam catapults work. They&#8217;ve launched hundreds of thousands of aircraft over seven decades. But they have limitations that become more pronounced with each generation of naval aircraft. The biggest: steam catapults deliver their energy in a single, violent pulse. The acceleration profile is front-loaded \u2014 maximum force at the start, tapering off as the steam expands and the piston reaches the end of its stroke.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This means the aircraft experiences peak stress at the very beginning of the launch, when the structural loads are highest. For robust, heavy fighters, this is manageable. For lighter aircraft \u2014 surveillance drones, unmanned tankers, electronic warfare platforms \u2014 the impulse can be damaging. You can&#8217;t easily dial down a steam catapult. It has two settings: full power and off.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=328011787  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/4\/44\/F-18F_after_launch_from_USS_Abraham_Lincoln_%28CVN-72%29.jpg\/960px-F-18F_after_launch_from_USS_Abraham_Lincoln_%28CVN-72%29.jpg\" alt=\"F\/A-18F Super Hornet moments after catapult launch from USS Abraham Lincoln\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An F\/A-18F Super Hornet blasts off USS Abraham Lincoln \u2014 zero to flying speed in under two seconds. (Photo: U.S. Navy \/ Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Steam systems also require enormous amounts of fresh water (to make the steam), complex piping networks that run throughout the ship, and maintenance-intensive components that operate under extreme temperatures and pressures. The C-13 catapult has over a thousand individual parts, many of which must be replaced at regular intervals. On a carrier operating 7,000 miles from the nearest shipyard, that maintenance burden is significant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:22px\">EMALS: The Electromagnetic Revolution<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System \u2014 EMALS \u2014 replaces steam with electricity. Instead of a piston driven by expanding gas, EMALS uses a linear induction motor: a series of electromagnets arranged along the length of the catapult track. When energised in sequence, they create a travelling magnetic field that accelerates a carriage along the track \u2014 silently, precisely, and with a controllable acceleration profile that can be tuned for each aircraft type.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The advantages are transformative. EMALS can vary its energy output from launch to launch \u2014 full power for a loaded F\/A-18E, reduced power for a lightweight MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone. The acceleration is smoother, with peak loads distributed more evenly across the launch stroke. This reduces structural fatigue on the aircraft and extends airframe life. It also means the same catapult can launch everything from a 100,000-pound E-2D Hawkeye to a 20,000-pound drone without mechanical reconfiguration.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>EMALS also weighs less, requires less maintenance, and draws its power from the ship&#8217;s electrical grid rather than a dedicated steam system. On the Ford-class carriers, the nuclear reactor generates electricity that feeds massive capacitor banks. When the catapult fires, those capacitors discharge their stored energy into the linear motor in a pulse that lasts less than three seconds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:22px\">What the Pilot Feels<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Carrier pilots describe a cat shot as the most intense acceleration they&#8217;ve ever experienced outside of an ejection. The G-force hits instantly \u2014 3 to 4g sustained for the full length of the stroke. Your head snaps back. Your arms are pinned. Your vision narrows. The instrument panel blurs. And your entire existence narrows to a single question: am I at flying speed when the deck runs out?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If the answer is yes, you&#8217;re flying. The aircraft clears the bow, settles momentarily as it transitions from catapult-assisted to self-sustained flight, and then climbs away. If the answer is no \u2014 a cold catapult, an engine failure at the worst possible moment \u2014 the aircraft goes off the bow and into the water. The pilot ejects. The plane sinks. It happens in seconds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin:0 0 24px\"><img data-opt-id=1510480700  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/6\/6d\/USS_Saratoga_%28CVA-60%29%2C_F-14_on_catapult.jpg\/960px-USS_Saratoga_%28CVA-60%29%2C_F-14_on_catapult.jpg\"  decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20100%%20100%%22%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22100%%22%20height%3D%22100%%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"F-14 Tomcat on the steam catapult aboard USS Saratoga\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:6px\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:13px;color:#777;text-align:center;margin-top:6px;font-style:italic\">An F-14 Tomcat hooked to the steam catapult aboard USS Saratoga \u2014 the older C-13 system that EMALS is designed to replace. (Photo: U.S. Navy \/ Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Night launches add another layer. The deck is lit only by dim blue taxi lights. The end of the bow is marked by a few green lights, then nothing \u2014 just blackness where the sea meets the sky. The pilot launches into a void, trusting instruments and procedure because the eyes have nothing to work with. It is, by every measurable standard, one of the most demanding things a human being can do in an aircraft.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>And they do it every day. A hundred times. Because that&#8217;s how you project air power from the middle of an ocean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;max-width:100%;margin:0 0 24px\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/IC3W1dQ4xOg\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;border-radius:6px\" allow=\"accelerometer;autoplay;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size:14px;color:#777\"><em>Sources: U.S. Navy, Naval Air Systems Command, General Atomics (EMALS developer)<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Quick Facts Steam Catapult (C-13) 0 to 165 mph in under 2 seconds; uses 1,200 lbs of steam per launch EMALS (Electromagnetic) 0 to 180+ mph; uses linear induction motor instead of steam Aircraft Weight Up to 100,000 lbs (F\/A-18E: ~66,000 lbs loaded) Catapult Stroke ~310 feet (94 meters) G-Force on Pilot 3\u20134g for 2\u20133 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":190937,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"aircraft carrier catapult launch","_yoast_wpseo_title":"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation's greatest feats.","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-190932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation&#039;s greatest feats.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation&#039;s greatest feats.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MiGFlug.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MiGFlug Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MiGFlug Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"MiGFlug Team\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809\"},\"headline\":\"Zero to 165 MPH in Two Seconds: How Carriers Launch Jets\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1137,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa\",\"articleSection\":[\"Military Aviation\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/\",\"name\":\"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809\"},\"description\":\"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation's greatest feats.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa\",\"width\":960,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"030323-N-43080-110 (March,23,2003) On board USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). An FA-18 Hornet assigned to Fighter Attack Squadron Three Seven (VFA-37,) \\\"Raging Bulls,\\\" is moved into position to launch off the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Carrier Airwing Three (CVW 3) are currently on a six-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Not cleared for public release.) For official use only. Awaiting CENTCOM 5th Fleet approval. (US Navy photo by: Photographer's Mate Airman Ryan O'Connor.)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Zero to 165 MPH in Two Seconds: How Carriers Launch Jets\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug.com Blog\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug Team\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MiGFlug Team\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/jetflights\\\/author\\\/mike4mig\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug","description":"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation's greatest feats.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug","og_description":"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation's greatest feats.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/","og_site_name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","article_published_time":"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":960,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MiGFlug Team","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MiGFlug Team","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/"},"author":{"name":"MiGFlug Team","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809"},"headline":"Zero to 165 MPH in Two Seconds: How Carriers Launch Jets","datePublished":"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/"},"wordCount":1137,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa","articleSection":["Military Aviation"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/","name":"How Aircraft Carriers Launch Jets: Steam vs EMALS | MiGFlug","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa","datePublished":"2026-04-03T09:46:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-07T08:15:48+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809"},"description":"From steam catapults to electromagnetic EMALS, the engineering behind hurling a 30-ton fighter from zero to 165 mph in two seconds is one of aviation's greatest feats.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa","contentUrl":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/960px-US_Navy_030323-N-4308O-110_An_F-A-18_Hornet_assigned_to_the_Ragin_Bulls_of_Strike_Fighter_Squa","width":960,"height":630,"caption":"030323-N-43080-110 (March,23,2003) On board USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). An FA-18 Hornet assigned to Fighter Attack Squadron Three Seven (VFA-37,) \"Raging Bulls,\" is moved into position to launch off the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and Carrier Airwing Three (CVW 3) are currently on a six-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multinational coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Not cleared for public release.) For official use only. Awaiting CENTCOM 5th Fleet approval. (US Navy photo by: Photographer's Mate Airman Ryan O'Connor.)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/zero-to-165-mph-in-two-seconds-how-carriers-launch-jets\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Zero to 165 MPH in Two Seconds: How Carriers Launch Jets"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/","name":"MiGFlug.com Blog","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/#\/schema\/person\/c85b77ae2dc8afe1ef19cf61db6ba809","name":"MiGFlug Team","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4a837c13dd5befdb3bffd441395bd29144e82ec9cb4d40a2d01d07d6a1d169b2?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MiGFlug Team"},"url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/author\/mike4mig\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=190932"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":244577,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/190932\/revisions\/244577"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/190937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=190932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=190932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=190932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}