Trump Torpedoes High-Tech Launch

President Trump ordered the Navy to rip out new launch tech from future carriers and return to steam, upending ship designs already built around electric power.

Story Snapshot

Trump directed the Navy to replace electromagnetic launch systems with steam catapults on future Ford-class carriers.
Test reports show the current electromagnetic launcher has repeatedly missed reliability goals.
Reverting to steam means major redesigns that could add cost, time, and risk to future air wing plans.
The move could affect how the next-generation F/A-XX fighters operate from carriers.

What The Order Does And Why It Matters

President Trump directed the U.S. Navy to abandon electromagnetic aircraft launch systems on upcoming Gerald R. Ford-class carriers and return to steam catapults, starting with the future USS Doris Miller, CVN-81. The directive reverses a core design choice of the Ford class, which uses an advanced electric power system to run launch and recovery gear. The decision places schedule and engineering pressure on programs tied to carrier aviation, because the launch and recovery systems shape the carrier’s flight deck plan and air operations rhythm.

The White House action follows years of test data showing the electromagnetic launcher has not met its reliability target. The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation reported 272 mean cycles between operational mission failures in 2021 testing, far below the 4,166 target. A 2022 report recorded 614 mean cycles between failures during 1,841 launches, still well under the requirement. Subsequent summaries said reliability had not appreciably improved and still needed off-ship technical support for troubleshooting.

Why Reverting To Steam Is Not A Simple Swap

Nimitz-class carriers used steam, but Ford-class carriers were designed around electric power and electromagnetic launch and advanced arresting gear from the keel up. Returning to steam would demand large, heavy piping, steam generation capacity, and new hydraulics and controls. That means cutting into the ship’s internal layout, changing weight and space margins, and reworking deck machinery foundations. Defense analysts and retired officers warned this path would likely increase costs and delay delivery for years compared to fixing the existing system.

Electromagnetic launch was chosen to reduce crew, smooth acceleration, and lower maintenance across the ship’s life, according to Navy materials. The approach also aimed to support a wider range of aircraft weights and future platforms, including unmanned systems that need gentler launch profiles than steam allows. Reverting to steam could narrow that operating window. It could also force designers to adjust flight deck procedures and sortie generation targets built around electric launch and arresting systems.

Impact On Next-Generation Carrier Air Power

The Navy’s planned F/A-XX fighter is expected to be heavier, carry more power-hungry systems, and operate alongside unmanned aircraft. Launch energy, acceleration control, and reliability all matter to sortie rates and aircraft wear. Electromagnetic systems promised finer control and higher peak energy than legacy steam, which could help with heavier takeoff weights and more fragile unmanned airframes. A shift back to steam may constrain these advantages and complicate F/A-XX integration plans on future decks.

😐 Trump wants to redesign U.S. aircraft carriers because… he doesn’t like the way they look

According to U.S. media reports, the president criticized the placement of the island superstructure on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers and wants future ships to look more like… pic.twitter.com/05lc9b6T98

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 18, 2026

Supporters of the order point to the hard reliability numbers and the risk to near-term combat readiness. They argue that a simpler, proven steam system would keep flight operations steadier while the fleet meets global demands. Critics counter that the Ford class was built to move past steam’s space, manpower, and maintenance burdens, and that ripping out electric systems will lock carriers into last-century limits while rivals push ahead with modern designs. Both sides agree the stakes are high for cost, schedule, and combat power.