Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to change the design of a new US aircraft carrier, calling for modern electromagnetic aircraft-launch technology to be replaced with the traditional steam-powered system.
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Through a national security memorandum signed on Thursday, the US president tasked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao with preparing a plan within 60 days to replace the equipment on the USS Doris Miller. According to The Guardian, the vessel is a Ford-class aircraft carrier.
The document calls for the removal of the EMALS system and modern advanced weapons elevators, which are to be replaced with steam-powered mechanisms and hydraulic systems, respectively.
With this move, Trump is reviving an objection he has repeatedly voiced to the new technology used on United States aircraft carriers. For years, he has criticized electromagnetic catapults, claiming that steam-powered alternatives cost less, are simpler and are easier to repair.
The president first made this view known in 2017. Reports indicate that he has repeated virtually the same story almost every year since then during speeches and public appearances.
However, the decision has prompted negative reactions from some US Navy leaders and defense industry representatives, who warn that the intervention could lead to significant costs and further delays.
Construction of the USS Doris Miller is already about two years behind the original schedule. Changing technology that has been directly incorporated into the ship’s design could create considerable technical and financial difficulties.
General Atomics, the manufacturer of the electromagnetic system used on Ford-class aircraft carriers, has urged that the decision be carefully reviewed. According to the company, work on the new ship is approximately 50% complete, meaning that a change at this stage would pose significant risks to costs, schedules and systems integration.
Despite the warnings, Trump continues to argue that steam technology is the most suitable solution.
In one of his latest statements, the president recounted a conversation that he said he had with a catapult specialist aboard a US aircraft carrier.
Trump said he asked the specialist which system was better, electric or steam-powered. According to the president, the answer was that “steam is better” because it can be repaired more easily.
His initiative has also faced strong political opposition. Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a former astronaut and test pilot, publicly criticized Trump’s involvement in the technical aspects of Navy ship design.
The order to replace the technology comes as the US Navy is also facing other problems. These include reports of crew fatigue and concerns about mental health aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent an extended period at sea during deployments related to the war with Iran.
