The USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy's newest carrier, has been a source of some controversy—largely because of its next-generation aircraft catapult, the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). In this first installment of Sitrep, we explain why the system has caused the Navy headaches, and why those headaches haven’t completely run their course.

Sitrep will be a regularly occurring video series on Ars where we'll present quick updates on the latest tech-focused developments in defense and national security and how they affect the world at large.

Listing image by US Navy