QinetiQ North America (QNA) has received a $16m contract to engineer control hardware and software for the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), and the advanced arresting gear (AAG).
The technology will be incorporated on the US Navy’s next-generation Ford-class aircraft carrier, the future John F Kennedy (CVN 79).
Awarded by General Atomics (GA), the contract involves a multi-year project to update, procure, assemble and test-launch control and arresting control hardware.
EMALS is being developed by GA to facilitate the launch of an aircraft from the US Navy aircraft carriers and will replace the existing steam catapult.
AAG will equip the navy carriers with an electric motor based system that will replace the current MK 7 hydraulic system for aircraft deceleration during recovery operations.
Both the EMALS and AAG were previously developed and installed on pre-commissioning unit Gerald R Ford (CVN 78).
QNA maritime systems director Andrew Courier said: "QinetiQ North America is honoured to once again be working with General Atomics to begin production on the second ship in the Ford-class, CVN 79.
"We are proud to play a role in providing the navy with this latest technology that will increase reliability, improve operational efficiencies and significantly decrease lifecycle costs."
The hardware and the software will be developed at QNA’s Waltham, Massachusetts facility in US.
Earlier in November 2015, QNA secured a £4.2m contract with the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to deliver a command and control demonstration system for the coordination of multiple unmanned vehicles.
Image: A computer generated impression of the US Navy’s next aircraft carrier, the future John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Photo: courtesy of QinetiQ.
