U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded General Atomics (GA) an initial sole-source contract for Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the CVN 79 aircraft carrier to be named John F. Kennedy.
This contract is for the initial procurement of the long-lead-time materials in support of a full production contract for installation of EMALS and AAG into CVN 79, the second of the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. CVN 79 is scheduled to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2023.
GA Electromagnetic Systems Group will manufacture EMALS and AAG components at its state-of-the-art 367,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Tupelo, Miss.
“These are exciting times. We are beginning EMALS and AAG production for the second ship in the class, CVN 79, as these systems are being integrated into the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). We are proud to be part of the team that is putting cutting-edge technology into the world’s premier aircraft carriers and into the hands of Naval forces,” says Dean Key, Director of Launch and Recovery Production Programs, General Atomics.
GA was awarded the prime contract to provide EMALS and AAG systems for CVN 78 in June 2009 and is manufacturing the CVN 78 hardware concurrently with the System Design and Demonstration (SDD) programs. Hardware delivery to CVN 78 is scheduled to be completed in 2014.