14 August 2026
Back to Steam! Trump Orders US Navy to Ditch Billion-Dollar High-Tech Electromagnetic Catapults on Future Supercarriers!
In a dramatic move that reverses years of naval modernization, US President Donald Trump has issued a national security memorandum directing the Pentagon and the US Navy to scrap the state-of-the-art Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on future Ford-class aircraft carriers and return to traditional steam-powered catapults. The directive gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top Navy leadership 60 days to present a comprehensive plan to rip out electromagnetic launchers and digital weapons elevators in favor of steam and hydraulic machinery. To understand the change in simple terms, an aircraft carrier catapult acts like a giant slingshot that accelerates heavy 30-tonne fighter jets from 0 to nearly 260 km/h in barely two to three seconds to help them take off from short flight decks. For decades, the US Navy relied on high-pressure steam pipes drawing heat from nuclear reactors to push pistons along the deck. The newer EMALS technology replaces bulky steam plumbing with linear induction motor tracks-functioning much like a high-speed magnetic bullet train-which allows fine-tuned launch force, less physical stress on jet airframes, and faster launch rates. However, Trump has repeatedly attacked the digital system since 2017, arguing that the electronics are overly complicated, prone to software glitches, and harder for sailors to repair at sea compared to mechanical steam setups. The executive order specifically targets the fourth Ford-class supercarrier, the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81), and all subsequent hulls, while leaving the first three ships-the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy, and USS Enterprise-unchanged. The abrupt policy reversal has triggered immediate pushback from defense contractors and naval architects. General Atomics, the primary manufacturer of EMALS, warned that engineering and component manufacturing on the USS Doris Miller are already roughly 50% complete. Tearing out the electromagnetic architecture to re-engineer steam boilers, piping, and hydraulic elevators will require massive redesigns that could add billions of dollars in unexpected costs and cause years of construction delays. Naval analysts and military observers have also raised serious concerns regarding fleet manpower and global technology competition. EMALS was specifically designed to reduce crew requirements, slashing the number of catapult operators on deck from a dozen sailors down to just two-a vital advantage at a time when the US Navy is grappling with nearly 20,000 unfilled fleet positions. Furthermore, critics point out that while Washington is preparing to step back into steam technology, rivals like China have already fitted electromagnetic catapults on their newest supercarriers like the Fujian, leaving defense experts debating whether the return to steam is a pragmatic fix or a costly step backward.