Trump Orders Redesign of Navy’s Newest Aircraft Carriers That Could Cost Billions and Builders Say It Needs ‘Careful Reconsideration’
Out with the new and in with the old.
President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Navy to stop using the most advanced launch technology in its newest aircraft carriers and return to using steam catapults. The order was delivered in a memo on Thursday, and instructs the Pentagon to replace the electromagnetic systems used to fling fighter jets off the deck.
At the center of the change is the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS. Trump finally wants to do something he has been talking about for almost a decade and swap out the modern system with the steam catapults that older Nimitz-class carriers have relied on for generations. The memo also says that electromagnetic weapons elevators should be replaced with hydraulic ones.
The directive from Trump gives the Pentagon and the Navy just two months to deliver their plan for following through on the memo. The target for the first of these changes is the USS Doris Miller, a new carrier that has reached 50% completion after multiple delays.
Changing Direction with USS Doris Miller Could Cause More Delays and Cost
The timing of the new directive is being seen as a problem for Californian company General Atomics, which is contracted to supply the catapults and arresting gear for the new vessel. The company confirmed that construction on the Doris Miller’s systems is advanced and reversing course now could lead to “significant cost, schedule, and integration risks.”
Other Independent estimates suggest the redesign could run into the billions of dollars and push back the delivery date.
Trump has criticized not only the way the Navy was “depleted” during the Biden administration but also the electromagnetic catapults used in many carriers, arguing they are overly complex and expensive. Speaking to sailors last year, he complained that fixing the system requires flying in specialists, while steam could be repaired more simply. He has framed the switch as a way to cut waste and simplify maintenance.
Critics Call the Reversal a Step Backward
Not everyone agrees the older technology is the answer. Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery called the decision “illogical, inefficient and a waste of money,” noting that the electromagnetic system is gentler on aircraft and needs far fewer people to run.
On the Ford, EMALS reportedly cut the crew needed to operate the catapults from about a dozen sailors down to two, a saving that would be lost in a return to steam.
The Navy has also pointed to signs the technology is maturing. During a test earlier this year, the Ford’s system was said to have outperformed the launch rates of the older Nimitz-class ships, though that data has not been publicly released at the time of writing.
Defense funding is always a big consideration for Congress, and the idea of spending billions on taking apart an advanced system in favor of one that it replaced will be one that will be debated in the next few months. With Trump’s imposed two-month deadline on the bill, there is a clear need for the matter to be discussed and resolved quickly to prevent any further delays in the production of the latest carrier.
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