Overview
- Speaking aboard the USS George Washington at Yokosuka on Oct. 28, Trump said he would sign an executive order directing steam catapults and hydraulic elevators on new carriers.
- He reprised his assertion that water can disable magnets while criticizing electromagnetic launch and elevator systems used on Ford-class ships.
- The White House offered no further details when asked about the proposed order, which has not been issued publicly.
- Scientists and naval analysts state that water does not stop magnets and that EMALS provides gentler launches, higher precision, and favorable long-term maintenance trade-offs despite early cost overruns.
- Defense experts warn that reverting to steam and hydraulics would require expensive redesigns and resurrecting dormant production lines, potentially costing billions.