Does anyone know if the current crop of catapults, say c13-2 on nimitz class and c13-3 on de gaulle are powerful enough to launch superhornet and rafale at their mtow, without any natural headwind but with carrier speed of 27 knots?
Is there a list of weights that can be launched at such and such wind over deck speeds for any kind of plane? be it older planes from the vietnam era?
By: Bager1968 - 15th September 2011 at 02:56
The info is gathered in pieces from several locations on the ‘net… and from discussions on other boards. I can’t readily get you the source for the catapult info, as it was something I copied several years ago and forgot to note the source.
The Discovery channel http://science.howstuffworks.com/aircraft-carrier3.htm says
This totally steam-driven system can rocket a 45,000-pound plane from 0 to 165 miles per hour (a 20,000-kg plane from 0 to 266 kph) in two seconds!
.
The aircraft weights come from Wiki.
http://www.voodoo-world.cz/hornet/info.html gives the landing approach speed of the F/A-18A/B/C/D as 134 knots.
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/navy_legacy_hr.asp?id=272, the official website of the USN, says “Super Hornet’s at-sea carrier qualifications demonstrated an impressive reduction in final landing approach speed — 10 knots slower than the F/A-18 C/D — which increases the safety margin and handling characteristics for our pilots. “. This means that the F/A-18E/F landing approach speed is ~124 knots!
The landing approach speed is with a certain amount of reserve fuel and the normal A2A missile load (but no bombs or full fuel tanks), so the aircraft could take off at that speed with the same load.
By: totoro - 14th September 2011 at 09:12
thank you, bager, do you happen to have a source for all that? A paper or at least a website?
Basically, you’re saying that catapults on both carriers are powerful enough to launch planes at their mtows even if there is zero wind and carrier is stationary? I must say that goes against what is always cited about carrier operations. why is wind over deck important then? for landings? For having the luxury of not using the catapults at 100% their strength, thus saving their life expectancy, as well as not stressing the aircraft airframes as much?
So, french decision to make their carrier’s top speed 25 to 27 knots is perfectly valid from a/c operation viewpoint and it doesn’t impede a/c efficiency in any way?
By: Bager1968 - 14th September 2011 at 00:53
The F/A-18E/F has a maximum take-off weight of 66,000 pounds.
Its take-off weight in Air-to-Air configuration is 47,000 pounds.
Its landing approach speed is 140 knots at around 45,000 pounds (empty airframe weight is 32,081 pounds).
The 250′-stroke C-13 catapult has an end-speed of 140 knots with a 78,000 pound weight and 150 knots at 41,000 pounds.
The C-13-1 and C-13-2 catapults have a 310′ stroke, and have an end-speed of at least 150 knots.
So I would say that any of the USN C-13 catapults could launch a Super Hornet in A2A configuration while anchored, while the C-13-1/2 could launch it fully loaded while anchored.
The C-13-3 in CdG has a stroke length of 246′, and a launch speed of 140 knots at 70,000 pounds.
RafaleM has a maximum take-off weight of 54,000 pounds, with an empty weight of 22,431 pounds.
Therefore, I would say that Rafale could also likely be launched with CdG anchored.
Sign In
September 13, 2011 at 12:56 pm