Four upgrades needed to keep U.S. carriers ahead of China’s navy

After a successful deployment that saw the USS Abraham Lincoln shoot down Iranian drones, the carrier is heading back to San Diego, while the USS George H. W. Bush and USS George Washington continue operations in the North Arabian Gulf. In Washington, a recent presidential memorandum has prompted the Navy to explore returning to steam-powered catapults, even though the electromagnetic system on the USS Gerald R. Ford has demonstrated higher launch rates and faster recharging.

Senators and Pentagon officials stress that abandoning the newer catapults and the upgraded 24,000-lb weapons elevators would slow shipyard production and limit the fleet’s ability to handle heavier missiles like the Malice. The MQ-25 Stingray drone, intended for long-range refueling and reconnaissance, is slated to join carrier air wings soon, and the development of a sixth-generation F/A-XX fighter is being pushed forward to counter China’s own advanced aircraft. With China projected to field nine carriers by 2035 against a U.S. fleet of eleven, these modernization steps are seen as critical to maintaining naval superiority.