What is totally beyond me is why we would be building carriers without EMALS. Okay so some mentally challenged persons imagined that because the Harrier was good that we therefore had to have the vertical version of F-35 - without waiting to find out if F-35 was even affordable (and it isn't) but there are other types that may need to be flown - and the new carriers have NO catapult. If the F-35 vertical version doesn't work/is deemed too expensive now - we'd have little option but to buy the new larger two seat version of the F-18 (which we probably should buy anyway) -which DOES need a catapult.