--- title: "Trump Orders US Navy to Return to Steam Catapults: Dismantling EMALS on Aircraft Carriers to Cost Billions" description: "🚨 Trump orders US Navy to return to steam catapults! Dismantling EMALS on aircraft carriers will cost billions. The fourth Ford-class ship will be redesigned. #Trump #USNavy #AircraftCarriers" date: 2026-08-14T00:22:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/trump-orders-us-navy-to-return-to-steam-catapults-2026 tags: [trump, us-navy, aircraft-carriers, emals, defense-policy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Trump Orders US Navy to Return to Steam Catapults: Dismantling EMALS on Aircraft Carriers to Cost Billions ![US Navy aircraft carrier at sea, illustrating the topic of returning to steam catapults instead of EMALS by Trump's order](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/14/trump-parovye-katapulty-vmss-avianoscy-2026/trump-parovye-katapulty-vmss-avianoscy-2026-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Trump signed a memorandum on returning to steam catapults on aircraft carriers. - Dismantling EMALS will cost billions of dollars. - The fourth Gerald R. Ford-class ship will be redesigned. - The decision is based on a promise made by Trump 10 years ago. - The memorandum also covers submarine repairs and foreign investment. **August 14, 2026.** A major scandal is brewing in Washington surrounding the US Navy. President Donald Trump, serving his second term, has issued an unprecedented order that could radically alter the architecture of the American fleet and hit the Department of Defense budget hard. According to a document signed on August 13, the US Navy is required to return to using outdated steam catapults for launching aircraft from carrier decks, abandoning modern electromagnetic systems. ### Memo on "Returning to Roots" As reported by RBC-Ukraine citing The Washington Post, on August 13, 2026, Donald Trump signed a memorandum ordering the dismantling of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) on *Gerald R. Ford*-class aircraft carriers. This decision marks the culmination of a long-standing conflict between the President's administration and the Navy's technical leadership. The memorandum explicitly points to the necessity of redesigning the fourth ship of the series, which will be named after World War II hero Doris Miller (*Doris Miller*), as well as all subsequent units of the class. Meanwhile, the first three ships of the series, already equipped with EMALS, will retain their systems, creating an asymmetry in the fleet's technical equipment. ### The Price of Nostalgia: Billion-Dollar Costs Experts estimate the cost of implementing this decision at billions of dollars. Dismantling the electromagnetic systems integrated into the ships' structures and replacing them with steam analogs will require colossal financial investment and time. Supporters of EMALS have insisted over the last decade that the system, despite its complexities, is strategically vital for the future of the fleet. However, President Trump, citing a promise he made almost 10 years ago, is ignoring economic arguments. According to sources, the decision was made after Trump heard praise from a sailor during a ship visit during his first term, which became the trigger for fulfilling an old promise. ### Technical Dead End: Why EMALS Didn't Take Root? EMALS electromagnetic catapults were developed as a more efficient and flexible alternative to steam systems. They were supposed to provide a smoother launch, allow for the launch of a wider range of aircraft, including drones, and require less maintenance. However, in practice, the system proved to be extremely complex and expensive to operate. A high failure rate and the need for frequent repairs caused senior Navy leadership and the industry to resist the transition to EMALS as early as 2017. Nevertheless, Trump stated in an interview with *Time* magazine that same year that he had already ordered the fleet to return to the steam system, which caused an outcry among engineers. ### Contradictory Data Several contradictions have arisen around the implementation of the August 13, 2026 memorandum. On one hand, the President's administration claims that steam catapults are more reliable and time-tested, which will ensure uninterrupted operation of aircraft carriers. On the other hand, Navy representatives and the shipbuilding industry point out that redesigning the *Doris Miller* and subsequent units will require a halt in construction and a review of the entire production logistics, which could delay the commissioning of ships by years. Furthermore, there is a risk that the first three *Gerald R. Ford*-class ships already built will turn out to be technically incompatible with new standards, creating problems for fleet logistics and maintenance. ### Additional Directives for the Fleet In addition to the catapult issue, the memorandum contains a number of other important directives. In particular, Trump ordered improvements in the maintenance and repair of submarines, which, according to the administration, are in unsatisfactory condition. The document also contains a call to attract foreign investment to the American shipbuilding sector. The US Navy aims to increase the size of its fleet, and attracting capital from abroad is seen as one way to accelerate this process. However, experts note that attracting foreign investment into the defense industry could create risks for national security. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Why did Trump order a return to steam catapults? **A:** Trump fulfilled a promise he made 10 years ago after hearing praise from a sailor during a ship visit. ### Q: Which ships will this order affect? **A:** The fourth Gerald R. Ford-class ship (Doris Miller) and all subsequent ships in the series. ### Q: How much will the dismantling of EMALS cost? **A:** Experts estimate the cost at billions of dollars.