The US Navy appears to be continuing with electromagnetic catapults on its aircraft carriers, even after an August order directing the service to return to steam catapults for its newest ships. Multiple outlets report that, based on current indications, the Navy is not making a visible shift away from electromagnetic systems.
The articles note a discrepancy between the August directive and how the Navy is proceeding in practice. While the order calls for a move back to steam, the outlets agree that the Navy’s trajectory still points toward electromechanical/electromagnetic launch technology for carriers under development.
Across the coverage, the emphasis is on the apparent lack of follow-through on the steam-catapult instruction. However, the sources do not present detailed, ship-by-ship technical confirmation of what propulsion or catapult configurations will be ultimately installed. Instead, they frame the situation as a sign of an ongoing decision or policy divergence rather than a clearly completed change in direction.
