Trump Orders US Navy to Replace Electromagnetic Catapults With Steam Systems on Future Aircraft Carriers
President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum Thursday ordering the US Navy to abandon electromagnetic aircraft-launch systems on future Gerald R. Ford-class carriers and return to traditional steam catapults.
Order Begins With USS Doris Miller
The directive requires the Navy to redesign the fourth Ford-class carrier, the future USS Doris Miller, and all subsequent ships in the class to accommodate steam-powered catapults.
The change is expected to cost billions of dollars because the electromagnetic launch system is integral to the carriers’ existing design.
First Three Ford-Class Carriers Not Affected
The USS Gerald R. Ford and the future USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise will retain their Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems, known as EMALS.
The order does not require the Navy to remove the systems from those first three carriers.
Trump Calls Electromagnetic System Too Complex
Trump has criticized electromagnetic catapults for nearly a decade, arguing that they are overly complicated and less dependable than traditional steam systems.
Navy and defense-industry officials have resisted the proposed change because of the enormous expense and engineering challenges involved in redesigning carriers already under construction.
