Trump orders Pentagon to redesign US aircraft carrier to use steam catapults to launch jets
Summary
President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to redesign a new US aircraft carrier to use steam-powered catapults instead of the modern electromagnetic system. This change affects the USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class carrier, and Pentagon leaders have 60 days to create a plan for the redesign.Key Facts
- President Trump prefers steam-powered catapults over the current electromagnetic launch system used on modern carriers.
- He signed a national security memo directing the Defense Secretary and acting Navy Secretary to plan this change within 60 days.
- The change concerns the USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class carrier currently two years behind schedule.
- Trump has publicly criticized the electromagnetic system since 2017, calling it complicated and expensive.
- Officials and military leaders have resisted the change due to high costs and complexity.
- The electromagnetic launch system is integral to Ford-class carrier design and made by General Atomics.
- The company producing the modern system urged careful review of Trump’s order.
- Trump believes the older steam system is more reliable and easier to fix than the electromagnetic one.
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