White House Orders Navy to Reassess EMALS Catapults After 12,200 Ford Launches
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 16
White House Orders Navy to Reassess EMALS Catapults After 12,200 Ford Launches
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 16
Summary
An Aug. 13 White House national security memo told the Navy to present options for reverting aircraft carriers from electromagnetic catapults to steam systems.
Ford’s EMALS logged more than 12,200 launches on its latest 326-day deployment and produced 25% more sorties in a multi-day surge exercise than older steam catapults, according to the report.
Critics say reversing course would force redesigns to major carrier systems, disrupt a 2,000-firm industrial base and risk delays that leave the Navy short of carriers for a potential China fight.
The debate comes as U.S. carriers remain active in the Middle East—USS Abraham Lincoln helped counter 200 Iranian drones—while Washington weighs broader carrier upgrades including faster weapons elevators and the F/A-XX fighter.
The strategic backdrop is China’s expanding fleet: Beijing has 3 carriers today and the Pentagon expects 9 by 2035, versus 11 for the United States.