In a memo released on 13/8, President Donald Trump directed the US Department of Defense to plan for the removal of the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) from the USS Doris Miller, the 4th ship in the Gerald R. Ford-class supercarrier fleet. These systems are to be replaced with steam catapults and hydraulic elevators.

This decision will apply to 6 other Ford-class warships planned for construction after the USS Doris Miller. The first three ships, the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS John F. Kennedy, and USS Enterprise, will continue to use EMALS and AWE.

President Trump gave Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao 60 days to submit a plan, detailing resource requirements and timelines.

May bay cat canh tu tau san bay USS Gerald R. Ford de tham gia chien dich tap kich Iran hoi thang 3. Video:US Navy

The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently the only ship commissioned into the US navy. The USS John F. Kennedy is undergoing sea trials before its anticipated handover to the navy this year. Construction of the USS Enterprise began in 2022 and is currently underway.

Harrison Kass, a defense and security writer for National Interest magazine, states that EMALS represents the "first major technological leap" in aircraft carrier launch systems since steam catapults were introduced in the 1950s.

EMALS is designed to draw power directly from turbines, using electric current to generate a powerful magnetic field that propels a shuttle attached to the aircraft along the flight deck. This system allows for the launch of heavier aircraft compared to steam catapults, enabling planes to carry more weapons and fuel.

The electromagnetic launch system also features a simpler mechanical design than steam catapults, which reduces reset times and increases launch frequency, simplifying maintenance procedures. It also reduces the number of personnel required to operate the launch system on Ford-class warships from approximately 10 people to two people.

Joseph Trevithick, an editor for the US military news site War Zone, noted that the plan to replace EMALS on Ford-class warships, even if only applied to future carriers like the USS Doris Miller, demands a substantial amount of additional work.

The ship's core structure, power generation system, and other critical components would require redesign. "A host of components, including entirely new steam piping and large pistons, would need to be installed in spaces not designed to accommodate them. The flight deck would also have to be reconfigured," Trevithick observed.

This process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, risking further delays in the construction and delivery of new aircraft carriers, which are already years behind schedule.

Quan nhan My ra hieu de kich hoat EMALS trong thu nghiem khong tai tren USS Gerald R. Ford hoi nam 2019. Anh: US Navy

According to the US navy's budget proposal released earlier this year, the delivery of the USS Doris Miller has been postponed from 2032 to 2034. The US navy initially expected to receive the USS Enterprise in 2028, but this deadline has been pushed back to 2031. The USS John F. Kennedy was originally scheduled for delivery in 2022, but it will not be commissioned until early 2027 at the soonest.

General Atomics, the company awarded the contract to build EMALS and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the USS Doris Miller, also urged "careful reconsideration" of Trump's decision. "Changing course at this point, with production nearly 50% complete, would introduce significant risks to cost, schedule, and integration," the company warned.

Trevithick suggests that implementing major changes to the Ford-class warships would be "perfectly reasonable" during peacetime or when the US has an excess of aircraft carriers.

However, the decision comes at a time when the US aircraft carrier fleet faces immense pressure. The USS Abraham Lincoln exemplifies growing concerns about combat readiness, with reports of crew mental health issues and living conditions during a record-long deployment in the Middle East.

This troubling situation has accumulated over many years, primarily due to global crises, and has been exacerbated by the conflict between the US and Iran. Meanwhile, the US navy continues to pursue its plan to decommission Nimitz-class carriers, though the first, the USS Nimitz, has had its retirement date pushed back to 2027.

"Decommissioning existing carriers will add pressure if new Ford-class warships continue to face delivery delays," the War Zone writer stated, adding that Trump's decision to remove EMALS presents "major risks."

President Trump did not provide a specific reason for ordering the removal of EMALS and AWE from Ford-class carriers, but he has repeatedly criticized this technology over the years.

In a 2017 interview, he argued that EMALS was "not good and not powerful" like the traditional steam catapults on Nimitz-class carriers. The US leader then stated he would order the navy to abandon EMALS, but did not follow through at that time.

In October 2025, President Trump reiterated that he would require the US navy to revert to using steam catapults and hydraulic elevators on future aircraft carriers.

Tau san bay USS Gerald R. Ford tro ve can cu Norfolk o My hoi thang 5. Anh: US Navy

Trevithick believes Trump's criticism stems from a series of issues encountered with EMALS and AWE on the USS Gerald R. Ford over the years.

The Office of the Director of Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), part of the US Department of Defense, reported in 2019 that EMALS experienced 10 "serious malfunctions" out of 747 aircraft launches during sea trials in the two years prior.

In a report published in March, DOT&E stated that the "reliability and maintainability" of EMALS, as well as the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), on the USS Gerald R. Ford continue to "negatively affect" launch and recovery rates and operational effectiveness.

The AWE system on Ford-class warships also has not been able to transport munitions to the flight deck at the required speed. "Crew members still rely on external technical support to resolve hardware and software issues with AWE," DOT&E noted.

Pham Giang (According to War Zone, Business Insider, AP)