Search

Trump Memo Directs Future Carriers Revert To Steam Catapults, Start Fifth Public Shipyard

Trump Memo Directs Future Carriers Revert To Steam Catapults, Start Fifth Public Shipyard
An E/A-18G Growler (left), assigned to the "Gray Wolves" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the "Tomcatters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31, prepare to launch from the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System on the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) flight deck, on March 10, 2023 while it is underway in the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo: U.S. Navy by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Grace Lyles)

President Donald Trump directed the secretary of defense to revert aircraft carriers to steam-powered aircraft catapult launchers and hydraulic weapons elevators, consider foreign-built warships, and establish a fifth public shipyard in a presidential memo released on Thursday. Trump said these moves are needed due to a series of shipbuilding setbacks caused by overly complex designs and iterative design change procedures causing cost growth, delays and cancellations. “The lack of capacity and competition among shipbuilders has resulted in large backlogs of…

Subscriber-only content. Please log in below.

Not a subscriber or registered user yet?

Please contact us at clientservices@accessintel.com or call us at 888-707-5814 (Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET.), to start a free trial, get pricing information, order a reprint, or post an article link on your website.



Congress Updates

Wisconsin GOP Lawmakers Urge Trump Admin Support For Marines’ JLTV Second Supplier Effort

Wisconsin’s GOP congressional delegation is urging the Trump administration to support legislative language enabling the Marine Corps to potentially bring in a second Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) supplier. The […]


Senate’s CR Has Ship Construction Exemption, Forgoes White House’s Battleship, Munitions Requests

The Senate on Sunday released a bipartisan stopgap funding proposal to keep the government open through December 11, which would also secure additional funds to support ongoing shipbuilding efforts and […]


U.S. Fighter Fleet Will Expand By 2040 But More Stealth Aircraft Will Mean Less Availability, CBO Says

The number of fighter aircraft in the U.S. military inventory will decline over the next few years before expanding to a greater number than currently, but their availability for operational […]


White House Details ‘Concerns’ With Shipbuilding, Spaced-Based Interceptor Oversight In House’s NDAA

The White House has detailed “a number of concerns” with the newly-passed House version of the next defense policy bill, to include the legislation’s limits on procuring Navy ships built […]