F-35 Cat-Shot

That's pretty damn cool!

I can't wait to see that thing at Airventure one day

i remember hearing a loud noise that day but didnt see anything. i live about 5 miles away from the joint base

It must be weird being trained as a carrier crew..and go to Lakehurst instead. Still pretty cool, I've been to Lakehurst a few times before.

I spent a couple of tours at NAS Lakehurst. Did my jumping there.

I am in awe at the control surfaces on this aircraft! Terrific total system!

If the aircraft can fly vertically why is a cat-shot necessary? It seems like unnecessary strain.

@ John, I've wondered this myself, but I presume it's because the Navy's carrier based version is not the VTOL variant for whatever reason. They gotta ge 'em off the carriers.

You can get airborne with a much bigger load if you shoot it off with the catapult. Then when you come back empty and void of weapons, you can make a vertical landing to refuel and rearm. The Harrier makes a rolling takeoff with a load and a vertical landing on return to the field, which may just be a short piece of Marsten Matting rolled off the back of a vehicle.