Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II in the context of "Ski-jump (aviation)"

In aviation, a ski-jump is an upwardly curved ramp that allows a fixed-wing aircraft to take off from a runway that is shorter than the aircraft's conventional takeoff requires. By providing an upward vector from the ski-jump's normal force, the aircraft is launched at an elevated angle and lift-off can be achieved at a lower airspeed than that required for flat takeoff, as it allows the aircraft more airborne time after leaving the runway to continue accelerating until enough airspeed has been reached to sustain flight. Ski-jumps are commonly used to launch shipborne aircraft from flight decks of aircraft carriers that lack catapults.

It is believed that the first use of the ski-jump occurred during the Second World War, when a temporary ramp was added to HMS Furious to help heavily laden Fairey Barracudas attack the German battleship Tirpitz. During the Cold War, the concept was studied as a means of reducing the length of flight decks required for aircraft carriers and to facilitate ever-heavier aircraft at sea. The Royal Navy took a particular interest in the ski-jump during the 1970s, conducting tests with the new Hawker Siddeley Harrier VSTOL fighter, then added a ramp to its next generation of aircraft carrier, the Invincible class.