Trump orders Navy to revert Ford-class carriers to older steam catapult system

US President Donald Trump has ordered the US Navy to remove the electromagnetic system used to launch fighter jets from its newest aircraft carriers and return to older steam catapults. The directive, issued on Thursday, instructs the Pentagon and the Navy to present plans within two months for removing the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, known as EMALS, and replacing Ford-class electromagnetic weapons elevators. The memo says the fourth Ford-class carrier, the USS Doris Miller, would be the first ship affected.

Sponsored

The order would not apply to the earlier Ford-class ships already in service or under construction, including the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise.

According to the memo, the change would likely cost billions of dollars and would reverse a system designed to reduce crew requirements and maintenance demands. The directive comes as the Navy continues to face staffing pressures and the wider US military seeks funding from Congress for additional equipment. Trump has criticised the technology for years, arguing that the older steam system is more reliable and powerful.

During his first term, he publicly dismissed the newer launch system and said the Navy should return to steam catapults. Supporters of EMALS have argued that it can launch aircraft at higher speeds, takes up less space and requires fewer sailors to operate. The USS Ford has already used the system to reduce the number of sailors needed to operate the catapults from about a dozen to two, according to the report.

Sponsored

The decision matters because it would affect one of the most expensive and technically complex parts of modern carrier design. The Ford class was built around new launch and recovery systems intended to improve sortie rates and reduce manpower needs. Reworking a ship that has already been finalised would be difficult and costly, and the move could affect future procurement planning across the Navy.

It also comes at a time when other major navies, including China and France, are using or planning electromagnetic catapult systems on new carriers. The memo places the USS Doris Miller at the centre of the proposed redesign, making it the first test case for the policy shift. That means the Navy would need to revisit engineering choices already made for a ship still in development.

The report also says the directive reflects broader concerns about shipbuilding, including the Navy's ongoing difficulty in staffing vessels with enough sailors. What remains unclear is how quickly the Pentagon could produce a workable plan and whether Congress would support the funding needed for such a major redesign. It is also not yet clear how the change would affect schedules for the Doris Miller and any later Ford-class ships.

#USNavy #EMALS #aircraftcarriers #Pentagon #DonaldTrump

Sponsored