Donald Trump’s vision for America’s aircraft carriers could force the U.S. Navy into an expensive redesign battle. The Navy is reportedly studying whether future Ford-class carriers should move their islands forward, reviving the appearance of older American warships. Trump has also ordered planners to examine replacing electromagnetic launch systems with conventional steam catapults. Both changes could disrupt carefully designed flight-deck operations, add billions in costs and worsen already lengthy shipbuilding delays. With China rapidly expanding its naval power, could Trump’s aesthetic preferences leave America’s most important warships even further behind schedule?
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