Trump orders navy to revert to steam-powered fighter launching system

President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering the U.S. Navy to remove the advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) from its newest Ford-class aircraft carriers and revert to older steam catapult technology. This move, detailed in a directive issued Thursday, is expected to incur billions of dollars in costs and transition the navy's most advanced vessels to a system that is more labor-intensive and difficult to maintain.

The mandate requires the Pentagon and the Navy to present plans for removing the EMALS within two months. Trump's preference for steam catapults, which he has long advocated, overrides the modern, magnetically powered system. This decision places the U.S. Navy against the technological trajectory of other global powers, as China's newest aircraft carriers utilize electromagnetic catapults, and France also plans to equip its new carrier with the system.

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You're going to goddamned steam.

This directive comes at a time when the U.S. military is seeking significant funding from Congress for new equipment, and the Navy faces challenges in recruiting and retaining sufficient sailors. The EMALS system, developed by General Atomics, is already partially installed on the fourth Ford-class carrier, the USS Doris Miller, which is designated to be the first ship to incorporate these changes. General Atomics has cautioned that redesigning an already finalized ship for such a major system overhaul presents significant risks regarding cost, schedule, and integration, urging "careful reconsideration."

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warrants careful reconsideration