
The State Department approved a possible $1.321 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) to France for its new aircraft carrier. EMALS and AAG are the upgraded methods for launching aircraft via catapults and receiving them currently used on the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). The systems were developed by General Atomics to require less maintenance, less manpower and a smaller footprint over the earlier steam catapult and arresting gear…