An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye surveillance plane propelled by the Electronic Aircraft Launch System thundered down a runway at Joint Base Lakehurst Tuesday.
Navy aircraft launch manager Capt. Jim Donnelly told the Asbury Park Press the air wing over the years has gotten heavier and the new control system allows launch officers to more precisely tune aircraft weights and required air speeds.
The $435 million electromagnetic system will not replace the steam catapults used on aircraft carriers since the 1950s. The new system is set to be delivered for the next aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to be built in Newport News, Va.
---
Information from: Asbury Park Press, http://www.app.com
