The Insane Engineering of Aircraft Carriers: The Physics of Power Projection

Описание: How do you launch a 30-ton fighter jet to 150mph in just 300 feet? An aircraft carrier is arguably the most complex machine ever built by man. It is a nuclear-powered city, a sovereign airbase, and a 100,000-ton floating fortress—all operating under the most extreme physical constraints imaginable.

In this episode of Absolute Mechanics, we deconstruct the insane engineering behind the Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. We explore the leap from traditional steam pistons to the EMALS (Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System)—a technology that uses massive surges of electricity to "flick" jets into the sky with precision that steam could never achieve. We’ll dive into the physics of the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), the structural engineering of the flight deck, and the dual-reactor nuclear plants that allow these vessels to operate for 20 years without ever refueling.

In this video, we explore:

EMALS vs. Steam: The electromagnetics behind the world's most powerful "slingshot."

The Tailhook Physics: How arresting wires absorb 50 million foot-pounds of energy in two seconds.

Nuclear Endurance: The thermodynamics of the A1B reactor and how it generates enough power for a small city.

Sortie Generation Rate: The "industrial engineering" of the flight deck—moving 75+ aircraft in a coordinated, high-stakes dance.

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