US Navy is testing a new launch system for its next aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) Heavy rolling machines are loaded onto catapults and then projected into the James River.
The weight of these rather unusual “cars” can reach up to 36 tonnes, for a launch speed of nearly 240 km/h. The first dead weights used for these tests were signed by the families of the manufacturers. The aircraft carrier has been under construction since 2011. Its delivery is scheduled for 2025.