Trump pushes return to steam catapults as Navy continues EMALS development

President Donald Trump issued a memo directing the U.S. Navy to prepare a plan to replace the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) on the under-construction USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) with a conventional steam catapult, arguing that one outlet design is overly complex and costly. The Ford-class carrier was originally engineered around EMALS, and roughly 50 % of its construction is already complete, making a retrofit technically challenging.

General Atomics cautioned that such a switch would likely increase costs, cause further delays, and introduce integration hazards. Meanwhile, the Navy has proceeded with EMALS work, awarding a $49.3 million contract to Kato Engineering for its energy-storage subsystem and soliciting bids for additional components like recirculation pumps. The service also no longer maintains a steam-catapult production line, the last of which was built for the USS George H.W.

Bush two decades ago. Advocates of EMALS cite smoother acceleration, finer launch-speed control, lower maintenance, and the ability to launch a broader range of aircraft, including unmanned systems and heavy fighters, which are crucial as carrier air wings evolve. China’s recent adoption of electromagnetic catapults on its Fujian carrier underscores the strategic importance of the technology.