Feature 2 | AircrAft cArriers
However, the EMALS system is modified
General Atomics EMALS team members to incorporate a new Prime Power Interface
sub-system, which delivers power from
Team Member Role/Expertise the ship’s electrical distribution system
to the EMALS energy storage generators
General Atomics Electromagnetic Electromagnetic System Design and Fabrication, and software.
Systems Division System Integration, Power Electronics and
Controls, Software, and Logistics Low rate initial production
As highlighted above, the intention is
Alion Science and Technology Specialty Engineering that EMALS will enter service aboard
USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78), which is
Foster Miller, Inc. Control Systems, System Health Monitoring currently due to commission in 2015.
A Low Rate Initial Production request for
University of Texas at Austin – Energy Storage Systems Design and Analysis proposal for the four EMALS launchers
Center for Electromechanics to equip CVN 78 is expected to be
released this year. The EMALS system
L3 Communications – Applied Power Electronics will be fitted to all follow-on carriers, and
Technologies Pulse Sciences is also being considered for retrofit to
existing CVNs.
Kato Engineering Energy Storage Systems Manufacture In an associated activity, Northrop
Grumman Shipbuilding was awarded
STV, Inc. Test Site Design/Integration, Naval System a US$43 million contract modification
Logistics in late March 2009 covering the
procurement of long lead time material
to support production of the EMALS
installations for USS Gerald R Ford.
on the carrier, the system is required at General Atomics test facility in Tupelo, This contract modification provides
to complete 10,000 simulated launch Mississippi. for materials for Energy Storage
test cycles. A first phase of High Cycle According to NAVAIR, the completion Subsystem (ESS) Induction Motor
Testing (HCT-1) was conducted in order of HCT-1 served to mitigate the risk of Stator Assemblies, ESS Induction
to verify the performance capabilities structural failure, and gave “confidence Motor Rotor Assemblies, ESS Exciter
of EMALS’ electrical and thermal power in EMALS reliability and validates system Stator Assemblies, ESS Exciter Rotor
equipment, and the shipboard cycling life and electromagnetic interference Assembly, ESS Rectifier Assemblies,
rate of the energy storage subsystem. predictions”. ESS Main Rotor Assemblies and Power
EMALS reached the 10,000-hour HCT-2 will repeat the test cycle Conversion Subsystem Rectifier material
HCT-1 milestone on 3 September 2008 performed at Tupelo during HCT-1. components. WT
engineers at Naval Air engineering
station in Lakehurst, New Jersey, lower
the eMALs motor onto a track bed for
testing. A second phase of High cycle
testing (Hct-2) was recently initiated at
the General Atomics test facility in tupelo,
Us Navy secretary Donald c Winter receives a tour of the eMALs facility at General Atomics. Mississippi. (photo: Us Navy)
24 Warship Technology May 2009
p22-23-24_WT_May09.indd 24 16/04/2009 11:59:29
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52