Naval F-15 Eagle

Archibald

Banned
There was a thread a few years ago about that and IIRC the BS4A catapults on the Clem and Foch lack the power to launch a Hornet with any sort of useful fuel and weapons load. The smallest carrier capable of operating Hornets would have been the HMS Ark Royal with her BS5A and BS5 catapults. I can't recall the Essex, but there is a table on catapult power somewhere in here that you can match against the Hornets weights.
. This was studied in 89' as stopgap between rafale and crusader. Clémenceau could launch à hornet... With a couple of AAMs and little infernal fuel.
 
Bs4a catapults were 50 m long, not enough for a hornet.

The BS5 was about the same length as the BS4A the French carriers were fitted with, but had more power so could launch Phantom and Buccaneer so would have no problem with the Hornet.
 
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