When the USS Gerald R Ford launched a heavy sled into the James River

The USS Gerald R Ford is the pinnacle of US naval technology and the world's largest carrier.

The carrier uses an advanced electromagnetic aircraft launching system, known as EMALS, rather than a conventional steam catapult.

The system is meant to be quicker, more efficient and smoother, putting less stress on the aircraft.

Recently, the footage above - taken by the US Department of Defense in 2015 - has made quite a splash on social media by going viral... and it's easy to see why.

It shows a weighted sled being catapulted into the James River as part of tests of the electromagnetic aircraft launching system.

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Sailors, civilian employees US Navy contractors witnessed the "dead-load" test in Virginia.

The world's largest carrier is extremely capable, but it comes at a cost, with a hefty price tag of around $13bn (£11.5bn). In comparison, the Royal Navy's flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth, cost considerably less at £3.2bn.

The previous Nimitz-class of aircraft carriers used a steam-powered catapult system to launch its jets into the air.

But with the USS Gerald R Ford's electromagnetic launch system, aircraft are propelled from static to airborne at 100 knots plus, depending on the plane, in just a few seconds.

An electromagnetic catapult system is capable of launching heavier weights than steam, meaning larger airframes, heavier fuel or munitions payloads - or both - without requiring much adjustment between launches.

China's newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, also boasts a next-generation electromagnetic catapult.

While the Fujian is yet to undergo sea trials, the Gerald R Ford has been leading a a task group through the eastern Mediterranean amid tensions in the Red Sea, where Houthi rebels have been targeting international trade routes.

Her first deployment spanned over eight months and was extended due to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The USS Gerald R Ford has now returned home to Naval Station Norfolk for maintenance before her next deployment.