Video of F/A-18 Super Hornet carrier variant aircraft during flight operations aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) as seen from the Bubble and the control tower. The Integrated Catapult Control System (ICCS), or “The Bubble,” is a station located in carrier flight deck. It combines current remote stations to provide intercommunication during each aircraft launch.

The Navy has been using steam for more than 50 years to launch aircraft from carriers.