this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2026
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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.

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[–] Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 34 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Use the electromagnetic launcher just also add a tube that shoots out a stream of hot steam as it launches a plane so his dumb ass can brag about how he built a steam launcher.

[–] FirstCircle@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 hours ago

This is a brilliant work-around. It'll save a ton of R&D money and won't take nearly the time and $ that a full retrofit would, all while pacifying the Orange Diaper Baby until the next dumbass idea comes along. How would you like a no-bid contract for the job?

[–] Tiral@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I mean, China was bragging they made a bus a year ago. They called it a trackless train or some shit.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Y'know it's usually the other way around, ya know folks reinventing the train but shittier and calling it a car or bus. Weirdly refreshing. Also trackless trains have existed since the 1800s with steam tractors, there was a nuclear powered equivalent in the 50s, and I'm pretty sure I've heard of something similar being used in Iraq and Syria back in the 30s where they just hooked up multiple trailers to a pair of modified trucks to move goods to places without rail.

[–] RidderSport@feddit.org 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

There are also busses that can hook up to a tram's electrical power net.

I feel like trams, trolleys, and electrified busses are in their own category seperate from trains. It's kinda like a rabbit and a hare, there's a lot of overlap but they are different.

[–] Taldan@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The change there was that it could use both tracks and roads, allowing it more transit flexibility

The innovation wasn't as much technical as it was logistical