Trump orders navy to revert to steam-powered fighter launching system
Donald Trump orders the US Navy to remove the system used to launch fighter jets from its newest type of aircraft carrier and return to using older steam catapults.
President Donald Trump has directed the US Navy to revert to using steam-powered catapults on its newest aircraft carriers, discarding the modern electromagnetic system that was installed. The decision, outlined in a directive issued on Thursday, could incur billions of dollars in costs and revert the fleet's most advanced ships to a method that demands more sailors and is harder to maintain.
The move comes after Trump repeatedly criticized the new system, citing its lack of power and efficiency compared to the older steam technology. The electromagnetic system, known as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), is faster and more efficient, requiring fewer sailors and less space aboard the ship. However, the Pentagon and the Navy were asked to present Trump with plans to remove the EMALS within two months.
The USS Doris Miller, the fourth Ford-class carrier, will be the first to undergo the changes, leaving two other ships unaffected. General Atomics, the manufacturer of the EMALS, warned that redesigning an already completed ship for this significant system change would be challenging, citing potential cost, schedule, and integration risks.
The decision coincides with the US military's ongoing struggle to secure funding from Congress for new equipment, as the Navy grapples with filling its ships with enough sailors. Trump's animosity towards the EMALS dates back to 2017, when he alleged that the new system was not as powerful as the steam system.
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