Trump's Steam Catapult Obsession: A $19 Billion Aircraft Carrier Set for Costly Redesign
Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to rip out the cutting-edge electromagnetic launch systems on the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier and replace them with the steam-powered catapults he has championed for nearly a decade. The directive, signed on Thursday, gives defence leaders just 60 days to devise a plan for the USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class carrier already two years behind schedule and billions over budget.
The move is a triumph for a president who has never hidden his disdain for what he calls the 'digital' catapult system. It is a costly and complex reversal that senior Navy officials and industry leaders have reportedly resisted, warning of significant financial and technical consequences. For the people of Ireland, watching from across the Atlantic, it is another reminder of how personal whims can override practical engineering in the world's most powerful military.
Why does Trump want to replace electromagnetic catapults with steam?
Trump's preference for steam is rooted in a story he has told repeatedly since 2017, when he first described it to Time magazine. He recounts a conversation with an unnamed Navy officer aboard a carrier, where he was shown the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS).
'So I said,