Trump has suggested steam catapults every year since 2017, saying digital systems are too ‘complicated’

After nearly a decade of loudly complaining about the fact that modern US aircraft carriers use electromagnetic systems to launch fighter jets instead of steam-powered catapults, Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to redesign a new aircraft carrier to replace the modern system with the old-fashioned catapults he prefers.

Trump signed a national security memorandum on Thursday directing the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, and the acting navy secretary, Hung Cao, to make the change he has had his heart set on since at least 2017, when he first described his idea to Time magazine.

The memorandum gives the Pentagon leaders 60 days to come up with “a plan on the required measures to replace the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Weapons Elevators with steam and hydraulic systems for the construction of” the USS Doris Miller, a Ford-class aircraft carrier, which is already two years behind schedule.

  • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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    2 days ago

    Is this because of his obsession with magnets and water?

    Can the military not just lie to him and tell them they’ve done it it’s not like he’s going to check. Even if he did he wouldn’t know what he was looking at because his brain, not something to write home about the best of times, has now turn to cottage cheese.

    He’ll be directing the military to return to wooden ships and musket next.

    • Ironrod@sh.itjust.works
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      2 days ago

      It’s been over 100 years since the last wooden battalion was sunk! That obviously means they are superior than metal ships

        • Ironrod@sh.itjust.works
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          2 days ago

          Don’t drag us into it! We can’t govern ourselves atm, bringing back the colonies would be worse for everyone! Just have a civil war like the good old days