The invention discloses a mechanical
catapult for carrier-based aircraft. The mechanical
catapult comprises a transmission shaft, a
winch, clutches, brakes, a
flywheel, a
wire rope, a
runway, and a slide. The mechanical
catapult is technically characterized in that except the brakes disposed on a housing and the
runway and the slide both disposed on a
deck, the rest are all disposed on the transmission shaft; two trays are disposed on the transmission shaft and include one which supports a
winch assembly and the other which supports the clutches. The
winch assembly is braked to stop rotating, the clutches rotate in the center of the winch along with the transmission shaft, engaging-disengaging sliders are inserted into connections of the winch before catapulting, the winch is driven to rotate with the transmission shaft so as to wind the
wire rope onto the winch, and the slide is pulled to drive an aircraft to take off. Catapulting powers are various; a
water turbine and a gas
turbine are taken as examples in the invention; when the
water turbine is used as a power source, water is driven in by self-power of an aircraft carrier through an inflow gate, or a high-pressure water pump is driven by a motor, a
diesel engine or the like to
impact an
impeller, and power is generated; when the gas
turbine is used as a power source, power is transmitted to the transmission shaft through a
reducer so that catapulting is available.