QinetiQ US has been awarded a contract by General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) to provide hardware and software for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) on the U.S. Navy’s next Ford-class aircraft carrier, the future Doris Miller (CVN 81).
The announcement, made on 5 September 2024, extends QinetiQ’s long-standing partnership with GA-EMS and the U.S. Navy in delivering critical technologies for the Navy’s latest carriers, say the firm.
The contract involves a multi-year production task, which will include the procurement, assembly, and testing of control hardware and software for the EMALS and AAG systems. Development and production will take place at QinetiQ’s facility in Franklin, Massachusetts.
These systems, designed to improve the launch and recovery of aircraft, are part of the advanced capabilities already installed on other Ford-class carriers, including the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), John F. Kennedy (CVN 79), and Enterprise (CVN 80).
Christopher Forrest, Executive Vice President of Advanced Robotics and Mission Solutions at QinetiQ US, commented on the contract:
“QinetiQ US is honoured to continue our partnership with General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, delivering critical technology for the fourth ship in the Ford-class, CVN 81. Our ongoing commitment to excellence ensures that the Navy is equipped with the best systems to accomplish its mission with increased reliability, improved operational efficiencies, and significantly decreased lifecycle costs.”
The crazy world we live in. Whilst Bae, RR and QinetiQ, amongt others receive order after order from the U.S. and western allies. we fiddle about with endless “research” projects and delays. It’s no wonder we have sunk down the capability table.🙃
Quite so, its not rocket science to get drones throughout the fleet and save up for cats and traps for our own carriers.
Should be in service already of course but…😏
I understand your frustration but truth is research into EMALs went on for a long, long time before it was even prototyped and thereafter took years to perfect, we just tend to hear about it being introduced abroad as if it was developed out of the blue. Equally US research into recon and attack drones has been decades long, rail guns two decades, hypersonic missiles since the 90s, laser weapons too. The US has cancelled and paused more projects than we have actual projects. Most weapon systems have that long history of development, much of it inevitably going down dead… Read more »
The City doesn’t have the financial powder to fund anything anymore. FTSE is in a dreadful state – nobody lists anything significant anymore. The harsh truth is that the City is dying in front of us from overtaxation and over regulation. I am afraid that Reeves is going to kill it for good with any capital tax rises. Most of the big movers have already departed to tax friendlier jurisdictions. Sorry to be so negative but the great engine of the past decades is now utterly broken. Look at the exodus of finance companies from round Mayfair too. It is… Read more »
Very interesting and simultaneously depressing assessment. UK defence budget will not meaningfully expand w/o commensurate economic growth, which requires capital investment. 🤔😳☹️
Defence industry has to possibly look beyond limited uk government vision . If there is a good project maybe develop it. The harrier went unloved for some time before being recognised for its potential. The Israeli sharp shooter has great export potential I have no idea if Isreal govt put loads of money into it.