Donald Trump just signed a directive forcing the U.S. Navy to strip advanced technology out of its newest aircraft carriers and revert to steam-powered systems.
The order targets the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and electromagnetic weapons elevators on the Ford-class carrier program. Specifically, the directive mandates that the fourth ship in the class, the USS Doris Miller, must be redesigned to swap out the modern digital tech for old-school steam and hydraulic systems.
If you've followed defense news over the last decade, this battle isn't entirely shocking. Trump has spent years complaining about digital systems on warships, famously claiming that the electric catapults require "Albert Einstein" to fix. But making this pivot now, when construction on the Doris Miller's catapults is already halfway done, is going to cost billions and shake up naval engineering.
The Core Conflict Between Steam and Electromagnetic Launchers
To understand why this order is causing panic in defense circles, you have to look at what EMALS actually does. Traditional steam catapults use massive amounts of high-pressure steam tapped from the carrier's nuclear reactors to hurl multi-ton fighter jets off the flight deck in seconds. It is a proven technology that has driven American naval aviation since the mid-20th century.
EMALS, on the other hand, uses stored kinetic energy and solid-state electrical power conversion. Think of it like a giant linear induction motor running down the length of the flight deck.
The Navy originally embraced EMALS for several concrete reasons:
- Smoother acceleration: It applies force more evenly, putting less stress on delicate airframes.
- Flexibility: It can handle everything from heavy strike fighters down to lightweight unmanned aerial vehicles.
- Manpower: It cuts the crew required to operate the catapult mechanism from about a dozen sailors down to just two.
Yet, the transition hasn't been smooth. The system faced years of reliability hiccups, development delays, and budget blowouts on the first-in-class USS Gerald R. Ford. Independent Pentagon testers noted that EMALS historically suffered reliability issues during early deployment cycles, often requiring specialized technical support rather than routine fixes by standard crew members.
Why the Timing Complicates Everything
The real argument against Trump's order isn't just about whether steam or electricity is better. It is about logistics and money.
Manufacturer General Atomics warned that ripping out a system halfway through construction creates massive integration risks. The Doris Miller is already well along in its structural timeline. Changing blueprints now means tearing out engineering spaces, rerouting heavy cabling, and redesigning berthing areas.
At the same time, the Navy is dealing with a severe workforce crunch. Fleet vacancies have hovered around tens of thousands of unfilled posts. Steam systems require larger crews to maintain and operate safely. Reverting to steam means the Navy will need to find, train, and retain more sailors for ships that are already hard to staff.
Opponents of the rollback also point out a major strategic irony. While the U.S. looks backward, competitors are moving forward. China’s newest aircraft carriers use electromagnetic launch systems, and France has committed to using EMALS for its future carrier fleet.
The Pentagon has two months to submit its formal transition plan. Whether Congress will fund this multi-billion-dollar retrofit amid broader military budget fights remains to be seen. What's certain is that naval engineering just got dragged into a high-stakes political debate.
