Prez: Carrier EMALS wrong

President Donald Trump told American troops in Japan that he plans to order traditional steam powered catapults for future Ford-class aircraft carriers instead of newer Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) that may not work as well in wartime. Trump polled sailors and Marines on the USS Wasp on steam versus electric catapults May 28 during a visit to the Yokosuka naval base south of Tokyo, the biggest overseas U.S. naval installation. Troops’ cheered were audibly larger for steam catapults - used to launch aircraft off navy ships - and Trump took note at the end of his 4-day tour to Japan. “We’re spending all that money on electric (which he claims has a $900M cost overrun) and nobody knows what it’s going to be like in bad conditions," he said. "So, I think I’m going to put an order when we build a new aircraft carrier, we’re going to use steam." The Navy intends to buy two Ford-class aircraft carriers in the near future. The Ford has long been a source of frustration for the president, who has bashed the carrier’s EMALS launch system, which is replacing steam catapults. Trump told the Japan-based personnel that steam catapults work better. “Steam’s only worked for about 65 years perfectly … (and) they have a $900M cost overrun on this crazy electric catapult,” he said. “(W)e all want innovation, but it’s too much.” (Source: Bloomberg News 05/28/19) Central Mississippi Note: General Atomics (GA) in San Diego has contracts for EMALS production. In September 2008, GA began construction on an addition to its Electromagnetic Systems (EMS) division production and test facility in Tupelo, Miss., to support future production of EMALS and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) programs for the next‐generation aircraft carrier (Gerald R. Ford (CVN‐78)). In January 2019, GA-San Diego was awarded $19,682,252 firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. The award is to provide for the manufacture, assembly, inspection, integration, test and delivery of EMALS’ spare parts in support of the CVN-78 prior to the Advanced Arresting Gear and EMALS material support dates. Work will be performed primarily in San Diego, but the Tupelo plant was to get 10.7 percent. The award is expected to be completed in January 2023.