Trump finally orders Navy to return steam catapults in obsession that could cost billions

Trump Directs Navy to Install Steam Catapults on Fourth Ford-Class Carrier

President Donald Trump has directed the Navy to replace the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System on the fourth Ford-class aircraft carrier with steam-powered catapults. The directive, issued Thursday, also calls for replacing the electromagnetic weapons elevators on the USS Doris Miller.

The memo requires the Pentagon and Navy to submit implementation plans within two months. It applies specifically to the Doris Miller, leaving the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy, and USS Enterprise with their existing systems. Redesigning a carrier already under construction for such a change involves substantial engineering work.

Trump has criticized the electromagnetic system since at least 2017. In a Time magazine interview that year, he stated the new system is “not good” and “doesn’t have the power” of steam catapults, adding, “You’re going to goddamned steam.” He has repeated the position at subsequent public events.

The change would affect a system designed to reduce crew requirements and increase launch rates. On the USS Ford, EMALS reduced the number of sailors needed to operate each catapult from roughly a dozen to two. Navy statements in February noted that the Ford achieved higher aircraft launch and recovery rates than Nimitz-class carriers during testing. The system also occupies less deck space.

However, the USS Gerald R. Ford experienced repeated reliability shortfalls with EMALS during initial testing and shakedown cruises. Government Accountability Office reports documented multiple delays in achieving full operational capability, along with higher-than-planned maintenance demands and cost growth tied to the new technology. These issues contributed to extended construction timelines and budget increases for the lead ship.

Steam catapults, used on all Nimitz-class carriers, have a decades-long record of service but require more personnel and dedicated steam generation equipment. The Navy has cited both systems’ trade-offs in congressional testimony over the past decade.

General Atomics, the EMALS manufacturer, stated that work on the Doris Miller’s catapults and arresting gear is already approximately 50 percent complete. The company warned that switching systems at this stage would introduce cost increases, schedule delays, and integration risks. It called for “careful reconsideration” of the decision.

The directive notes that repeated design changes during ship construction have historically produced cost growth and schedule slips. The Navy currently faces approximately 20,000 unfilled billets across the fleet, according to service data released earlier this year.

China’s newest aircraft carriers use electromagnetic catapults. France has announced plans to adopt the technology for its next carrier. The United States remains the only operator of the specific General Atomics EMALS variant installed on the Ford class.

Funding for the change would be addressed in future budget requests. The administration has proposed a $1.5 trillion defense budget and is seeking a $95 billion supplemental package that includes funding related to operations in Iran, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated last month at $37.5 billion. The House has passed elements of the package; the Senate is scheduled to consider them in September.

The memo does not direct retrofits to the three earlier Ford-class hulls. Any conversion of the Doris Miller would require new steam plant design work, piping modifications, and adjustments to the flight deck layout already under contract.