Trump Orders U.S. Navy to Return to Steam Catapults for Aircraft Carriers

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy to replace its electromagnetic aircraft launch systems with traditional steam catapults, marking a major shift in the technology used aboard the Navy’s newest aircraft carriers.

The White House said Thursday that Trump signed a national security memorandum directing the Navy to abandon the electromagnetic catapult system installed on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers. Implementing the order could require extensive modifications to the ships and potentially cost billions of dollars.

Huntington Ingalls Industries is the primary contractor responsible for building Ford-class aircraft carriers, which represent the latest generation of U.S. nuclear-powered carriers.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the Navy’s electromagnetic aircraft launch technology, arguing that the system is unnecessarily complicated, expensive and less reliable than the steam-powered catapults used on older carriers.

“Billions of dollars more they spent on electric catapults and they’re not good. They’re not nearly as good, too complex,” Trump said during a defense summit in Pennsylvania last month.

The electromagnetic system was introduced as part of the Navy’s effort to modernize aircraft carrier operations. Unlike conventional steam catapults, the technology uses electromagnetic energy to accelerate aircraft along the flight deck and launch them into the air.

However, the system has faced criticism over development costs, technical challenges and reliability concerns. Trump has long favored the older steam-based technology, which has been used successfully on U.S. aircraft carriers for decades.

A transition back to steam catapults could create significant engineering and financial challenges, particularly for Ford-class carriers designed around electromagnetic launch technology. Removing existing systems and installing steam-powered equipment would likely require substantial redesign and shipyard work.

The directive could also have broader implications for future U.S. Navy aircraft carrier construction and defense spending. The full cost and timeline of implementing Trump’s order have not yet been detailed by the White House.