- Trump's directive orders Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to submit a plan within 60 days to install steam catapults on the USS Doris Miller, as outlined in a memorandum released Thursday.
- Naval experts Bryan Clark and Chris Cavas have criticized the directive, calling it outdated and highlighting that steam catapult production has ceased.
- Senator Mark Kelly criticized the memo, stating that Trump should stick to 'ballrooms, bankruptcy, and bullshit.'
- Clark noted that the USS Doris Miller's redesign could cost billions and delay its service until the end of the next decade.
- Electromagnetic systems have proven to be easier to operate and less expensive, saving the Navy $100 million a year on the Ford class carrier.
- Production of steam catapults has ceased, with no US manufacturers existing to restart production, which would cost tens of millions and take years.
- Clark warned that the USS Doris Miller's delay, combined with Nimitz-class retirements, could leave the Navy very short on carrying capacity next decade.
President Donald Trump's recent directive to replace the modern electromagnetic launch system with steam catapults on the USS Doris Miller has raised eyebrows among naval experts.23
Experts warn that this decision could add billions to the carrier's cost and delay its deployment until the late 2030s.5
Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, stated that redesigning the USS Doris Miller, already under construction, could cost “probably into the billions” and push its service date from 2034 to the end of the next decade.
Clark emphasized that the Navy has saved approximately $100 million a year on the Ford-class carriers due to the efficiency of the electromagnetic systems.6
Chris Cavas, a veteran journalist, criticized the memo as “very old thinking, very outdated,” noting that the electromagnetic system is smoother and less stressful on aircraft.
He pointed out that the infrastructure for steam catapults has been largely dismantled, stating, “Nobody builds them anymore.”
Sen. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain, echoed these concerns, suggesting that Trump should focus on areas where he has expertise rather than engineering decisions for the Navy.
The potential delay of the USS Doris Miller, combined with the retirement of Nimitz-class carriers, could leave the Navy “very short on carrying capacity” in the coming decade, according to Clark.9
“The directive orders Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to submit a plan within 60 days, but experts note steam catapult production has ceased since the George H. W. Bush entered service in 2009. Restarting the line could cost tens of millions and take years, while the carrier's delay may leave the Navy short on carrying capacity next decade.”
