U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy to scrap advanced electromagnetic launch systems on its newest aircraft carriers and revert to decades-old steam catapult technology.
The move is going to cost billions and reverse years of military modernisation.
What are steam catapults?
Steam catapults are mechanical systems used on aircraft carriers to launch fighter jets from the ship’s deck. They utilise pressurised steam generated from the ship’s nuclear reactors to propel a shuttle along a track, which pulls the aircraft from zero to takeoff speed.
The speed is around 165 miles per hour within seconds. Since the 1950s, this technology has been widely employed in U.S. carrier operations since the 1950s, reliably launching thousands of aircraft over decades of service.
The modern alternative of EMALS
Since 2017, the Navy has been transitioning to the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS), which uses linear induction motors, essentially giant magnets, to launch jets.
The system provides major advantages, including launching aircraft more smoothly, only two sailors to operate versus a dozen for steam, and utilising less space. Moreover, it can also handle a wider range of aircraft weights.
China and France are both adopting electromagnetic technology in their recent carriers.
Why did Trump order to bring steam back?
Trump has always been opposed to EMALS. Since 2017, he has repeatedly told the same story about questioning the Navy “catapult” who allegedly told him steam is better because “we can fix it with a hammer and a blowtorch” while electric systems need “geniuses from MIT” to repair.
Trump said in 2017: “Digital. What is digital? It’s very complicated, you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out.”
General Atomics, the EMALS manufacturer, warns that “changing course now would introduce significant cost, schedule, and integration risks.”
The decision comes as the Navy faces a recruiting crisis with 20,000 unfilled posts and Congress weighs a $95 billion military funding package.
2026-08-14 21:01:00
