Donald Trump affirmed, Thursday, August 13, that future aircraft carriers of the American army would once again use old models of catapults to launch the devices, returning to what he described as technology ” reliable “but which is expected to cost several billion dollars.
This decision by the American president can potentially have consequences for France, including the future aircraft carrier Free Francewhich must succeed in 2038 the Charles de Gaullemust normally be equipped with new electromagnetic catapult systems supplied by the American company General Atomics.
This announcement, supposed “correcting long-term problems in the Navy’s shipbuilding and repair programs”according to the American president, comes as recent conflicts, including the war in Iran, have highlighted certain difficulties due to aging ships and long supply times.
In presidential security memo, Donald Trump depicts “an atrophied shipbuilding industrial base” which he says makes the construction and repair of warships slower and more expensive.
The Pentagon should therefore replace electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (electromagnetic aircraft launch systemor Emals) by hydraulic and steam systems. The Emals are supposed to equip the Gerald Ford class aircraft carriers, and are already in place on the first of them, the USS Gerald-Fordthe largest aircraft carrier in the world.
The first building affected by the American decision would be the USS Doris Millera latest generation nuclear-powered model, whose delivery date is scheduled for 2034. The two other Ford-class vessels, the Kennedy and theBusinesswhich must enter service before Doris Millerwould therefore also be equipped with Emals.
A contested technological choice
Emals “aims to increase the operational capabilities of aircraft carriers of this class, thereby enabling the US Navy to launch all current and future carrier-based aerial platforms, from light drones to heavy attack fighters”according to the American Naval Air Systems Command (Navair). He “harnesses stored kinetic energy and solid-state electrical energy conversion. This technology enables a high degree of computer control, monitoring and automation”.
But this change in catapult systems should cost billions of dollars according to Bryan Clark, researcher at the Hudson Institute cited by the Wall Street Journal. In doing so, Donald Trump “keeps a promise he made nearly a decade ago to return to the steam system after hearing a Marine praise it during a ship visit during his first term”according to our colleagues.
Former astronaut and naval officer, Democratic Senator Mark Kelly blasted Donald Trump’s decision on X: “Even I wouldn’t allow myself to tell the Navy how to design the specific systems on its ships. »
In his note, the American president also authorized the Pentagon to “award contracts that allow purchases from foreign suppliers in the short term”to speed up construction times.
What consequences for France and its allies?
The company that won the contract to build the electromagnetic catapults on the USS Doris MillerGeneral Atomics, said that this decision to change the system “deserves careful reconsideration”. Trump complained about these launch systems as early as 2017, ensuring that they were not “not good” and that they “don’t have the power” steam catapults. Electromagnetic catapult technology was used by China on its latest aircraft carrier, while France is to equip its future aircraft carrier with an Emals supplied by General Atomics.
Donald Trump’s decision, if it were successful, raises the question of the sustainability of such a choice, particularly with regard to maintenance and spare parts during the life of the aircraft carrier. Questioned by Agence France-Presse, the French authorities concerned did not immediately comment.
