Steam Catapult or Aircraft Catapult is a device installed on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier to assist aircraft take off during its launch procedure. It is an invention of British and currently using by the Navies from US, UK and France. Besides, it makes heavier aircraft such as an AWACS to take off from an aircraft carrier possible.Not all countries has the ability to build one on their aircraft carriers including Russia.
The Russian latest jet fighter, Su-33 (Flanker D) has the ability to take off without this device, with the conditions of reducing fuel and weapons on board.
It is speculated that China is currently building its own aircraft carriers similar to Russian's Admiral Kuznetsov Carrier (the only operational at present) with the Steam Catapult technology. This speculation is base on the fact that China has bought over the Varyag, the one and only sister-ship of Kuznetsov that ever been built by Russia and two other older class carriers for study.
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1 comments:
Steam catapult would allow a aircraft to launch with a heavier payload in term of weaponry and/or fuel. Coupled with the fact that AWAC type aircraft also be launched by the same. China proposed carrier should be catapult.
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