https://news.usni.org/2023/06/08/u-k-considering-adding-catapults-arresting-gear-to-aircraft-carries
“We are looking to move from STOVL to STOL [short takeoff and landing], then to STOBAR [short takeoff but arrested recovery] and then to CATOBAR [catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery]. We are looking at a demonstrable progression that spreads out the financial cost and incrementally improves capability,” Kelly said.
The first step would be to increase the available length for the unassisted launch of uncrewed air systems.
“This November we will [launch] a Mojave [STOL] aircraft off the angle of the flight deck off the U.S. east coast,” said Col Kelly. “This aircraft can take off in 300 feet of runway, so enough for the trial, [but] we have already undertaken design work to add sponsons and make a full run of 700 feet available.”
A final step would be to add an assisted launch system. “Adding catapults would allow us to operate the heaviest aircraft you can imagine,” Kelly said.
USNI News understands that various assisted launch and recovery system options have already been reviewed under Project Ark Royal. These include the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Arresting Gear equipment delivered by General Atomics for the U.S. Navy’s Ford-class aircraft carriers, and the U.K.’s own Electro Magnetic Kinetic Induction Technology demonstrator, developed by GE Power Conversion.
Pero es que a lo mejor ellos son un poco brutos.
Una catapulta neumática, como la que indicas, si lo he entendido bien, sí que me parece un tanto bruta, porque la aceleración se produce en un espacio de tiempo y de distancia muy breve, por lo que, para alcanzar la misma velocidad final, la aeronave necesita soportar una aceleración muy superior, comparado con una catapulta que recorra toda la pista. Eso afecta al desgaste prematuro de la aeronave.