The Navy appears to be standing by its choice of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System over legacy steam catapults for Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, despite President Trump’s criticism of the cutting-edge system.
EMALS uses a linear induction motor beneath the flight deck to launch aircraft from carriers, rather than high-pressure steam from hydraulic catapults.
Last week, Minnesota-based Kato Engineering was awarded a $49.2 million contract for the EMALS’ energy storage subsystem, which accumulates and discharges the massive electrical energy required to launch planes.
On Wednesday, the Navy also announced it was seeking vendors to provide recirculation pumps for EMALS. The pumps send liquid through the system to cool down the power components and motor generators.
Mr. Trump has expressed nostalgia for the steam catapults that have launched aircraft from U.S. carriers since the mid-1950s. He has complained that EMALS are too expensive, overly complex and less reliable.
In August, the president ordered that the new catapults for the future USS Doris Miller, the next Ford-class carrier under construction, be replaced with the older steam-powered launching system.
“The United States Navy has experienced a series of shipbuilding setbacks stemming from overly complex designs and iterative design change procedures, which have resulted in cost growth, delays, and cancellations,” Mr. Trump wrote in an Aug. 13 memo to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The president ordered the Pentagon chief to use “proven, reliable, and affordable technologies and ship designs” as part of the plan to rebuild America’s naval force.
The Navy has defended EMALS, saying the system provides a smoother acceleration and can be adjusted to launch a variety of aircraft, including drones.
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