According to media reports from "Beast Daily," "The Independent," and others, on October 28 local time, US President Trump criticized the electromagnetic catapult system used on the US Navy's Ford-class aircraft carriers during a speech, and claimed he would sign an executive order requiring that future US-built aircraft carriers must use steam catapults and hydraulic elevators. Over a month earlier, on September 22, China officially released a video showing the J-35, J-15T, and KJ-600 completing electromagnetic catapult takeoffs and landings on the Fujian Ship, becoming the first country in the world to conduct fifth-generation fighter aircraft catapult operations on an aircraft carrier.

Image captured from a foreign media video

On October 28 local time, while visiting Japan, Trump visited the US Navy's Yokosuka Base and delivered a speech to the US troops stationed in Japan. In this speech, which was criticized by foreign media as "incoherent" and "rambling," Trump first praised the navy sailors as "very impressive" and "very handsome." A while later, Trump said, "There are too many good-looking people... I don't like good-looking people..."

Subsequently, Trump shifted the topic to the electromagnetic catapults and elevators used on the Ford-class aircraft carriers and claimed that the electromagnetic systems were easily damaged by water.

"You know, the new thing now is magnets. Previously, it was hydraulic systems, and even if struck by lightning, there was no problem. But if you pour a small cup of water onto a magnet, I don't know what will happen," Trump said. "You know, the elevators on the new aircraft carriers use magnets. I plan to change this design. Every tractor uses hydraulics, every excavator, any type of excavation machinery, all use hydraulic systems. But for some reason, they decided to use magnets."

Trump claimed he was very familiar with shipbuilding and asked the sailors on the aircraft carrier twice during the speech, "Do you think steam catapults or electromagnetic catapults are better?" After hearing the response from the soldiers on site saying "steam catapults," Trump called the electromagnetic catapults "stupid and absurd." He said that electromagnetic catapults not only cost a lot but also could not function properly even with the best talent maintaining them.

He said, "Steam catapults can be fixed with a hammer and a blowtorch, and the results are just as good, if not better. And I especially like seeing the beautiful steam spewing from the deck. With the electromagnetic system, you won't see that."

"I am going to sign an executive order. When we build aircraft carriers, the catapults must be steam, and the elevators must be hydraulic. Then we will never have problems," Trump said. "They spent 993 million dollars on the electromagnetic catapults, but they already had a steam system that worked beautifully and had been used for 50 years."

It is worth noting that before the United States lost the title of "first country to conduct fifth-generation fighter aircraft catapult operations on an aircraft carrier," Trump had already criticized the US's latest aircraft carrier for switching to the electromagnetic catapult system multiple times.

As early as 2017, Trump criticized the system during an interview, calling it overly complex and costly, and stating that it "cost hundreds of millions of dollars without any effect." In 2019, he also criticized the electromagnetic catapult system during a speech to the crew of the amphibious assault ship "Wasp" (LHD-1), blaming it for the delays and cost overruns of the first Ford-class aircraft carrier, "Gerald R. Ford." At that time, he called for the use of steam catapults on future aircraft carriers.

At that time, retired US Marine Colonel Manville, who had participated in the design of the Ford-class aircraft carriers, analyzed that it would not be easy to reinstall steam catapults on the Ford-class ships. The Ford-class aircraft carriers were originally designed to accommodate a complete power system, without the need for a large number of steam pipes. If steam catapults were to be used, the navy might have to spend billions of dollars to redesign the entire ship.

Moreover, since the United States began building the Ford-class aircraft carriers, the status of steam catapults in the US Navy has been replaced by electromagnetic catapult systems. Analysts told US media that the production lines for steam catapults have been out of operation for many years. The main suppliers responsible for manufacturing, integrating, and maintaining steam catapult systems, such as Huntington Ingalls Industries, have shifted their focus to the next generation of electromagnetic catapult aircraft carriers.

Currently, the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers still use steam catapult systems, and US defense contractors continue to provide maintenance services for them, but no new steam catapults are being produced. According to a previous report by the US Naval Institute News, the Mk 13 steam catapults used on the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers were discontinued in 2017. If the navy chooses to restore the use of steam catapult systems, it may need to design a new system and bear additional costs.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observers, and it is prohibited to reproduce it without permission.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566514799748629019/

Statement: The article represents the views of its author. Please express your opinion below using the [Upvote/Downvote] buttons.