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Navy Weighs Major Warship Redesign to Match Trump's Preferences

Conflict8 sourcesAug 16, 2026
FlatRigor 518 sources

The Story

The United States Navy is weighing a major redesign of its new aircraft carriers to align with President Trump’s aesthetic preferences. This potential shift on Ford-class ships aims to make them resemble World War II-era vessels. The Navy is considering relocating the multistory command center, known as the island, farther forward toward the middle of the ship. In modern designs, the island is typically at the rear, while World War II-era ships featured it more centrally. Officials familiar with the matter state that this assessment is in its early stages. A similar study conducted during Trump’s first term concluded that moving the island would cost billions of dollars and cause major program delays. Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, notes that altering the island’s location would disrupt the vessel’s weight and buoyancy. The command center was originally positioned near the back of the Ford-class design to improve flight deck efficiency and flight safety, providing aircraft more room near catapults and minimizing air turbulence for landing planes. President Trump has expressed concerns regarding the appearance of the Ford-class carriers, where the tower is currently positioned closer to the stern. The Navy’s current shipbuilding plan includes 10 Ford-class ships, each costing $22 billion. One Ford-class carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is currently in service, having arrived at Souda Bay naval base in Greece on March 23, 2026. Three more are under construction, with the USS John F. Kennedy undergoing sea trials. On Thursday, President Trump also signed a national security memorandum calling for future aircraft carriers to revert from electromagnetic catapults to steam-powered systems, a change that would also incur additional time and money. The USS Gerald R. Ford currently uses an electromagnetic catapult.

The Spread

What they agree on

  • The United States Navy is evaluating a major redesign of its new Ford-class aircraft carriers.
  • The redesign aims to align the carriers with President Trump’s aesthetic preferences, specifically to resemble World War II-era vessels.
  • The proposed change involves relocating the multistory command center, or island, farther forward on the ship.
  • A similar study conducted during Trump’s first term indicated that such a change would cost billions of dollars and cause program delays.
  • President Trump also signed a national security memorandum calling for future aircraft carriers to revert to steam-powered catapult systems from electromagnetic ones.

Where they split

  • The Daily Beast and Raw Story (2026-08-15T18:30) emphasize the cost implications and potential delays of the redesign, with Raw Story highlighting "extraordinary cost."
  • The Independent and The Washington Post provide more detailed explanations of the technical reasons for the current island placement, citing improved flight deck efficiency and safety.
  • HuffPost and Raw Story (2026-08-15T03:41) specifically lead with or focus on President Trump's order to return to older steam-powered catapult systems for launching jets.
  • The Daily Beast includes the specific detail that the USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at Souda Bay naval base in Greece on March 23, 2026, and mentions the Navy's plan for 10 Ford class ships at $22 billion each.

Source Perspectives

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