Aircraft Carrier   Defense Budgets & Spending   Defense Policy & Military Strategy  

Trump orders Navy to replace carrier launch system with steam catapults at a cost of billions

Bookmark this story

President Donald Trump has directed the Navy to remove the complex aircraft-launch system installed on its carriers and return to steam catapults. Navy officials have opposed the change for years, and the retrofit is expected to cost billions of dollars.

Discovered 2026-08-13T14:29:18.361941-07:00 | 2026-08-13T14:29:18.361941-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The directive would reverse a major aircraft-carrier technology decision and require extensive, costly modifications to existing ships.
  • Navy officials have resisted the move for years, signaling a potential clash between presidential direction, operational preferences and the service’s established carrier modernization plans.

Reported By

Wall Street Journal
Sources Tracked
1
First Seen
2026-08-13T14:29:18.361941-07:00
Latest Update
2026-08-13T14:29:18.361941-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

Hype groups these reports into one evolving story so you can compare coverage without losing the thread.

Related Coverage