Trump Orders US Navy to Replace Advanced Aircraft Carrier Launch Systems With Older Steam Tech

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President Donald Trump issued a directive on Thursday ordering the U.S. Navy to remove the advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, from its newest aircraft carriers and return to traditional steam catapults. According to the Associated Press, the mandate targets the fourth Ford-class carrier, the USS Doris Miller, and is expected to cost billions of dollars while requiring more sailors to operate.

The White House Directive and the USS Doris Miller

The presidential memo directs the Pentagon and the Navy to present concrete plans within two months to strip the electromagnetic launching technology and electromagnetic weapons elevators from upcoming hulls. While the USS Gerald R. Ford, the USS John F. Kennedy, and the USS Enterprise remain untouched by this specific mandate, the fourth ship in the class, the USS Doris Miller, must undergo a complete redesign.

According to the Associated Press, General Atomics—the manufacturer of the EMALS system—stated that work on the Doris Miller’s catapults and arresting gear was already halfway complete. The company warned that altering course at this stage introduces significant cost, schedule, and integration risks. Trump’s memo explicitly points to constant design changes in naval shipbuilding as a primary driver of historical cost growth, delays, and cancellations.

Weighing the Operational Realities: Steam Versus Electromagnetic Systems

Military analysts and naval leadership have long debated the operational trade-offs between legacy steam systems and newer electromagnetic technology. According to Military.com reporting, EMALS offers faster aircraft launch speeds, easier maintenance, a smaller spatial footprint aboard the vessel, and a dramatically reduced manpower requirement. The system on the USS Ford reduced the number of sailors needed to operate the catapults from roughly a dozen down to just two.

Reverting to steam infrastructure runs counter to current naval crewing trends. At the start of the year, the Navy faced approximately 20,000 unfilled posts across the active fleet. In February, a Navy press release highlighted that EMALS allowed the USS Gerald R. Ford to achieve a higher aircraft launch and recovery rate than older Nimitz-class predecessors.

Despite these efficiencies, Trump has maintained a vocal opposition to the technology since his first term. In a 2017 interview with Time magazine, he criticized the system as lacking the power of traditional steam, famously declaring, “You’re going to goddamned steam.” Conversely, foreign navies continue to adopt the technology. China’s newest aircraft carriers rely on electromagnetic catapults, and France has announced plans to incorporate the system into its future carrier designs.

Budgetary Pressures and Congressional Oversight

This major procurement shift arrives as Capitol Hill evaluates sweeping defense funding packages. According to the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated the cost of the ongoing war with Iran has climbed to $37.5 billion. Concurrently, Republican lawmakers have advanced a $95 billion legislative package intended to fund military operations and other administration priorities alongside a proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget.

While the House of Representatives narrowly adopted these measures, the Senate is scheduled to address the legislation upon returning in September. Navigating these complex funding bills and procurement pivots requires meticulous oversight. Organizations and contractors seeking to align with shifting federal priorities frequently rely on specialized legal and consulting services to manage regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.

As the Navy prepares its two-month response to the White House directive, military planners must reconcile the administration’s preference for legacy systems with existing shipbuilding contracts, ongoing recruitment shortfalls, and international technological competition.

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