President Donald Trump has given the U.S. Navy 60 days to plan for installing steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators on the future Ford class aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller. This move comes after years of Trump criticizing the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) currently used on Ford class carriers.
The EMALS and AWE have struggled with reliability and maintenance issues, but reverting back to steam and hydraulics would require a major redesign, potentially causing delays in carrier deliveries.
Trump's directive is part of a larger memo aimed at rebuilding the U.S. Navy and maritime industrial base. The Navy has been working to mitigate issues with the EMALS and AWE, but faces continued challenges with maintenance and contractor reliance.
