President Donald Trump has instructed the US Navy to strip the electromagnetic launch system from its newest class of aircraft carriers and return to the steam catapults he has long championed. The directive, issued on Thursday, gives the Pentagon and Navy two months to present a plan for removing the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) from the Ford-class vessels, along with the electromagnetic weapons elevators.
The move, which officials say could cost billions of dollars, would push the Navy's most advanced ships back to a system that demands more crew and is harder to maintain. It follows years of Trump's public criticism of the magnetic technology, despite experts pointing to its advantages: faster launch cycles, reduced manpower, and lower maintenance burdens.
A costly reversal
The memo directs that the USS Doris Miller, the fourth ship in the Ford class, be the first to undergo the retrofit. The USS Gerald R. Ford, along with the under-construction USS John F. Kennedy and USS Enterprise, would remain with EMALS. Redesigning an already completed vessel for such a fundamental change is a complex and expensive undertaking, and the directive acknowledges that constant design changes have contributed to cost overruns and delays in Navy shipbuilding.
General Atomics, the company behind EMALS, has warned that work on the Doris Miller's catapults and arresting gear is already half finished. "Changing course now would introduce significant cost, schedule, and integration risks," the company said, urging "careful reconsideration."
The decision comes as the Navy struggles with recruitment and as the Pentagon seeks congressional approval for a massive defense budget. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has described the proposed $1.5 trillion defense package as a "generational investment," while also requesting supplemental funding for the conflict with Iran, which he estimates has cost $37.5 billion so far.
Trump's aversion to EMALS dates back to his first term. In a 2017 interview with Time magazine, he called the system "not good" and claimed it "doesn't have the power" of steam. "You're going to goddamned steam," he said at the time, a sentiment he has repeated at rallies and events since.
While the US president seeks to roll back the technology, other nations are moving forward. China's newest aircraft carriers already use electromagnetic catapults, and France has announced plans to adopt the system for its future carrier. This divergence raises questions about the long-term competitiveness of the US Navy's carrier fleet.
The directive also comes amid broader tensions in the region, as Trump has declared US control over the Strait of Hormuz, a stance that has drawn sharp responses from Iran. The decision to revert to steam catapults may be seen as a symbolic victory for traditionalists, but it carries real strategic and financial consequences.
For European observers, the episode underscores the challenges of maintaining military technological superiority. As the US debates its naval architecture, European allies are watching closely, particularly given the ongoing discussions about defense spending and transatlantic security cooperation. The move could also affect NATO's maritime capabilities, as US carriers play a central role in the alliance's power projection.
With Congress set to weigh the necessary funding bills, the fate of the Ford-class program remains uncertain. The directive is likely to face scrutiny from lawmakers concerned about the cost and feasibility of the reversal, as well as from industry stakeholders who have invested heavily in EMALS.
