‘Very outdated’: Trump’s directive to revert to steam catapults on new aircraft carrier baffles naval experts

Trump Orders Return to Steam Catapults for New Carrier, Sparking Expert Concerns

Activelifezero.com – The White House has issued a significant policy shift regarding American naval aviation, directing the Navy to abandon its modern electromagnetic launch technology in favor of traditional steam-powered catapults. This unexpected reversal targets the USS Doris Miller, a carrier currently under construction, and threatens to substantially increase costs while pushing the vessel’s operational timeline well into the late 2030s.

According to a memorandum and accompanying fact sheet published Thursday, President Donald Trump has instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop a comprehensive implementation plan within sixty days. The directive requires the installation of steam catapult systems on the carrier, which will bear the name of the World War II hero and first African American Medal of Honor recipient.

Technical Reversal and Financial Implications

The decision represents a dramatic departure from recent naval engineering trends. The USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s most advanced aircraft carrier, utilizes an electromagnetic aircraft launch system known as EMALS. This technology operates on principles similar to high-speed rail trains, creating a smoother and more reliable launch mechanism. In contrast, the ten Nimitz-class carriers currently in service continue to depend on steam-powered catapults with numerous mechanical components including valves, pressure regulators, and pistons.

Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, emphasized that retrofitting the USS Doris Miller will necessitate extensive redesign work. The financial consequences could be substantial. “The cost of that,” Clark explained to CNN, “will probably be into the billions” of dollars. Furthermore, the carrier’s expected entry into service around 2034 may be postponed until the end of the next decade.

Proponents of the electromagnetic system point to significant operational advantages. Clark noted that the electromagnetic catapults have demonstrated superior reliability and reduced maintenance requirements. “The electromagnetic ones have proven themselves to be easier to operate and less expensive in terms of personnel and maintenance,” he stated. “So the Navy has saved $100 million a year on the Ford class carrier.”

Trump’s Long-Standing Position on Carrier Technology

The president’s preference for steam catapults is not a recent development. Trump has expressed skepticism about electromagnetic systems for several years, arguing that the modern technology presents unnecessary complexity. During the Defense and Innovation Summit in July, he criticized the electromagnetic approach with characteristic directness.

“They’re not nearly as good, too complex. And by the way, we had to call the ship in twice because the catapults didn’t work,” Trump declared. “When a little water touches the magnets, it doesn’t work anymore. You’re – you’re in the Atlantic Ocean with waves that are 60 feet high, and the Pacific Ocean with waves at 70 feet high, and they’re talking about magnets.”

A White House spokesperson, when asked for additional comment, directed reporters to the published fact sheet. The document argues that the memorandum seeks to “fix critical long-term issues in Navy shipbuilding and ship repair programs,” framing the reversal as a corrective measure rather than a policy misstep.

Expert Skepticism and Logistical Challenges

Naval experts have responded with considerable surprise to the sudden policy pivot. Chris Cavas, a veteran journalist and podcast host who has personally experienced both launch systems, characterized the White House memo as representing “very old thinking, very outdated” approaches to carrier technology.

“I can tell you firsthand, you can feel the difference and the difference is that it’s smoother,” Cavas explained regarding the electromagnetic system. “It’s much less stress on the aircraft.”

Beyond the technical debate, the Navy faces a significant logistical hurdle. The electromagnetic catapults are produced under contract, but steam catapult manufacturing has largely ceased. “They haven’t had to make new steam catapults since the George H. W. Bush,” Cavas noted, referring to the carrier that entered service in 2009. “That’s a long time ago and all that infrastructure is gone.”

Clark echoed this concern, observing that “Nobody builds them anymore. There’s no steam catapult manufacturers in the … US anymore so they’d have to restart that production line, which would cost tens of millions of dollars to get going and that’ll be, it’ll take years to start that up again and build the first catapult.”

Political Reaction and Fleet Readiness Concerns

The directive has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain with extensive flight experience, took to social media to voice his objections. “I’ve launched off the front of aircraft carriers hundreds of times, have a Master’s degree in aeronautical engineering, and am a test pilot and even I wouldn’t suggest to the Navy how to engineer specific systems on its ships,” Kelly wrote on X.

“Donald Trump should stick to what he knows best — ballrooms, bankruptcy, and bullshit,” he added with characteristic bluntness.

Looking ahead, the combination of the USS Doris Miller’s delay and the ongoing retirement of Nimitz-class carriers could create significant capacity gaps. Clark warned that the US Navy may “be very short on carrying capacity” throughout the next decade, potentially affecting America’s global naval presence and power projection capabilities.

CNN has contacted General Atomics, the company responsible for manufacturing EMALS systems for the USS Gerald R. Ford and originally contracted to provide the same technology for the USS Doris Miller, seeking additional comment on the implications of this policy reversal.