Lakehurst Scientist Named One of Navy's Best for 2010

The lead designer of a new aircraft propulsion technology being, now in testing at the Naval base in Lakehurst, was recently honored as one of the Navy's top scientists for 2010.

Michael Doyle, who serves as the lead electromagnetics technologist for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System — a system designed to more safely launch and recover aircraft using an electric linear motor rather than steam propulsion — was presented with the honor on July 15 at the Pentagon.

In a release issued by the Naval Air Systems Command at the Lakehurst installation of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Doyle, who has worked in Lakehurst since 1988, said that he is "extremely honored" to have been selected.

"I am truly accepting it as a representative of the entire EMALS team that has worked so hard for so many years to bring the concept of electromagnetic to a reality for the Navy," he said in the release. "They are an incredibly talented group of people, and I am humbled to be a part of their success.”

According to the release, the steam technology currently used by the Navy to launch planes is from the 1950s. EMALS propulsion, the release states, will be implemented when the Gerald R. Ford class of supercarriers deploy in 2015 and eventually replace the current Nimitz-class carriers.

A Medford resident and Drexel University graduate, Doyle has also assisted with the Advanced Arresting Gear program at the base, authored technical papers on linear motor technology and assisted NASA with the space agency's single stage to orbit launch assist program.

Doyle's supervisor, Robert Rossi, said in the release that, "in many instances, Mike’s opinion has become the U.S. Navy’s opinion."

"He is the go-to expert, whose nuanced insight and inspired innovation is a leading force driving the vision of electromagnetic technology in support of naval aviation,” he said.