US President Trump Orders Navy to Use Old System for Launching Fighter Jets
The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will not change now. The US Navy has a new system to launch fighter jets.
In short, this is about the US Navy.
US President Donald Trump wants the navy to remove the new system used to launch fighter jets from its newest aircraft carrier.
Mr Trump likes the old steam system and wanted to change it in 2017, but China and France use the new magnetic system.
What happens next is not clear.
The company making the carriers thinks the decision should be reconsidered carefully.
Donald Trump is ordering the US Navy to remove the new system and use the old steam catapults, which he prefers.
This change will cost a lot of money and make the navy's most advanced ships harder to maintain.
The Pentagon and the navy must present plans to remove the new system within two months.
Donald Trump wants the US Navy to use the old system, but other countries are using the new system.
The electromagnetic weapons elevators on the Ford-class carrier should also be replaced.
Mr Trump has been against the new system for years, saying it's not good and doesn't have enough power.
The US military is trying to find money for new equipment, and the navy is struggling to find enough sailors.
Mr Trump has wanted to change the system for a long time.
In 2017, Mr Trump said the new system was 'not good' and didn't have the power of the old steam systems.
Mr Trump said 'you're going to goddamned steam' at the time.
The topic has come up many times since then.
China is using its military strength to show its power in the Pacific.
The newest Chinese aircraft carriers use electromagnetic catapults, and France plans to use the system too.
The fourth Ford-class carrier, the USS Doris Miller, will be the first ship to include the old system.
The manufacturer of the new system says changing it now will be difficult.
The company says the decision not to use the new system on the USS Doris Miller 'warrants careful reconsideration'.
Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth have a $95 billion package to fund the military.
The work on the USS Doris Miller's catapults and arresting gear is already halfway done.
The budget will need to be changed.
Mr Trump's memo says the navy's constant design changes have caused cost growth, delays, and cancellations.
The move comes as Congress is deciding on the budget and funding bills for the Pentagon and the Iran war.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the war's cost has grown to $37.5 billion.
The US President and Defense Secretary are working on a $1.5 trillion defense budget.
The House has adopted the budget, but the Senate still needs to act.
The electromagnetic system is better because it can launch aircraft faster and is easier to maintain.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being questioned about the cost of the war and the number of service people who have died.
The new system needs fewer sailors to operate the catapults.
Reverting to the old system will make it harder for the navy to find enough sailors.
The navy said the new system allows the USS Ford to launch and recover aircraft at a higher rate.
This is from the Associated Press.
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