Thread: Why don't our aircraft carriers use ski jumps?

Here is a photo of the Russian carrier Varyag (the Chinese are converting it for their use)


Here is a photo of a brit carrier


Here is one of our Nimitz class carriers




Question: Why don't we use the "Ski Jump" system that would seem to be safer for carrier take-offs?

Originally Posted by Devil505

Here is a photo of the Russian carrier Varyag (the Chinese are converting it for their use)


Here is a photo of a brit carrier


Here is one of our Nimitz class carriers




Question: Why don't we use the "Ski Jump" system that would seem to be safer for carrier take-offs?

A more recent configuration, originally developed by the Royal Navy but since adopted by many navies for smaller carriers, has a ski-jump ramp at the forward end of the flight deck. This was first developed to help launch VTOL (or STOVL) aircraft (aircraft that are able to take off and land with little or no forward movement), such as the Sea Harrier. Although these aircraft are capable of taking off vertically from the deck, using the ramp is more fuel efficient and permits a heavier launch weight. As catapults and arrestor cables are unnecessary, carriers with this arrangement reduce weight, complexity, and space needed for equipment. Russian and future Indian carriers include a ski-jump ramp for launching conventional aircraft. The disadvantage of the ski-jump is the penalty it exacts on aircraft size, payload, and fuel load (and thus range): large, slow planes such as the E-2 Hawkeye and heavily laden strike fighters like the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Sukhoi Su-33 cannot successfully launch using a ski-jump because their high loaded weight requires either a longer takeoff roll than is possible on a carrier deck, or catapult assistance, although the Su-33 does launch with a light fuel and weapons load from a ski jump.
Aircraft carrier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also see this link: http://www.f-16.net/news_article3602.html

Originally Posted by JoJoGunne

Also see this link: http://www.f-16.net/news_article3602.html

Interesting...Thanks.
(Why can't a catapult be used on a ski jump equipped carrier though??

Originally Posted by Devil505

Interesting...Thanks.
(Why can't a catapult be used on a ski jump equipped carrier though??

Welcome.

Don't know.