President Trump Orders Navy to Restore Steam Catapults on Ford-Class Carriers

President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum on Thursday ordering the U.S. Navy to return to using steam catapults for launching jets from aircraft carriers.

The directive also includes replacing advanced weapons elevators with hydraulic systems. The immediate target for these changes is the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81), the fourth Ford-class carrier, which is currently under construction. The memorandum orders Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in consultation with the secretary of the Navy, to present a plan within 60 days.

This plan must detail the timelines and resources required to replace the Doris Miller's Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) with traditional steam catapults and its advanced weapons elevators with hydraulic systems. The order does not require ripping electromagnetic catapults out of carriers already in service, such as the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy, and USS Enterprise, which will remain untouched.

A steam catapult uses high-pressure steam to propel a jet along a track, while an electromagnetic catapult is digitally controlled and uses electric and linear motors to generate an electromagnetic field. Experts have warned that this move will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The Navy and industry leaders have long opposed returning to steam catapults due to the costs involved.

Installing electromagnetic catapults and elevators was an integral aspect of the Ford-class design and contributed to the class's slow delivery and commissioning. President Trump has expressed his preference for steam catapults for nearly a decade, dating back to a May 2017 interview with Time magazine during his first term. He described the digital system as very complicated and said, "You're going to goddamned steam."

The topic has frequently appeared at rallies and other events. The directive comes as the U.S. military seeks funding from Congress and the Navy struggles to staff its ships.