US President Donald Trump has ordered the Navy to abandon the advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on future aircraft carriers, reverting to traditional steam catapults.
A new directive mandates the Pentagon to present plans within two months to remove EMALS and replace electromagnetic weapons elevators. The design rollback will begin with the fourth Ford-class carrier and the USS Doris Miller. Earlier ships in the class USS Gerald R. Ford will remain untouched.
Trump has long criticized the magnetic launch technology, claiming it lacks the power of older steam systems. However, reverting to steam will likely cost billions of dollars, increase maintenance complexity, and require significantly more sailors to operate. General Atomics, the EMALS manufacturer warned that redesigning the Doris Miller which is already halfway complete introduces massive cost and schedule risks.
The shift also contradicts modern naval trends both China and France are actively adopting electromagnetic technology for their fleets. Furthermore, the rollback comes as the US Navy struggles to fill a shortage of roughly 20,000 sailors.
In a separate naval development, Trump confirmed the USS Abraham Lincoln is being replaced in the Middle East by the USS George Washington. The rotation follows growing congressional concerns over the Lincoln's grueling 250-day deployment. Lawmakers recently cited severe supply shortages, water contamination and declining crew morale aboard the vessel. Despite these conditions, when asked if the deployment was too long and Trump responded "Not nearly long enough."
These major operational shifts arrive as Congress debates Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget and an additional $37.5 billion in supplemental war funding.
