WarMonitor on Nostr: President Trump has directed the Navy to abandon the electromagnetic aircraft launch ...
President Trump has directed the Navy to abandon the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) being used on the Gerald R. Ford class carriers and return to traditional steam catapults, according to U.S. officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
Trump signed a national security memorandum directing the Navy to redesign the fourth Ford class carrier, Doris Miller, and subsequent ships around steam catapults. The first three carriers, Gerald R. Ford, John F. Kennedy and Enterprise, will retain EMALS.
The decision reverses years of Navy and industry resistance to Trump's proposal, largely because replacing EMALS would require significant redesign and could cost billions of dollars.
Trump has criticized EMALS for years, arguing that it is overly complex and less reliable than steam catapults. The move effectively locks in a major technological reversal for future U.S. aircraft carriers.
Published at
2026-08-13 21:43:34 UTCEvent JSON
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