With a top speed of Mach 1.8, an impressive assortment of missile and bomb configurations, and a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon, the F/A 18 is one of the US Navy’s deadliest pieces of equipment. It also happens to be an amazing ride from a purely aeronautical perspective. We get to see some of the high-flying acrobatics and mind-numbing maneuvers in this video from Voice of the Patriot. Navy recruiters, take note. If you have a shortage of applicants for pilots, just show them this video followed by Top Gun. Your quotas will fill up quickly. * * * Via: WordlessTech…

Propelling a 5 ton jet to liftoff speed over short distances has been the key to US Naval success for 50 years and the reason why their aircraft carriers are unique. Their steam “catapults” allowed fast enough acceleration for launch. It was a good run, but it’s time to run out of steam. The Navy made history Saturday when it launched the first aircraft using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, technology. “This is a tremendous achievement not just for the ALRE team, but for the entire Navy,” said Capt. James Donnelly, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment program manager….