Trump’s new whim: the US plans to spend billions of dollars to change the design of aircraft carriers
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The U.S. Navy is considering a major redesign of its new Ford-class aircraft carriers at the request of President Donald Trump, including moving the superstructure of the command post closer to the middle of the ship, a move that could cost billions of dollars and cause delays.
This is reported by The Washington Post .
According to journalists, the Navy is evaluating the possibility of moving the so-called “island” – a multi-story superstructure where the command post is located – from the rear of the ship to the front, so that the new aircraft carriers more closely resemble the old ships.
The change is related to Trump’s wishes for the appearance of future ships. Navy officials had already studied this issue during Trump’s first term, but then concluded that the changes could cost billions of dollars and significantly delay the program.
“The cost and time required to do this would be extraordinary,” said a former senior US Navy official.
According to experts, moving the superstructure would be a major redesign of the ship’s design, as it could affect its weight and buoyancy.
Currently, 3 Ford-class aircraft carriers are in various stages of construction. USS John F. Kennedy is undergoing sea trials, and USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller are under construction.
In total, the US Navy plans to build up to 10 aircraft carriers of this class over the next 4 decades. According to the US Congressional Budget Office, the projected cost of each new ship is about $22 billion.
The superstructure move would be the second major program change under consideration by the Trump administration. The president previously directed the Navy to develop a plan to return steam catapults to future aircraft carriers instead of the modern electromagnetic system.
The White House has touted the preference for “proven, reliable, and affordable technologies and designs.” At the same time, Navy officials have warned that the changes could further exacerbate the problems of the American shipbuilding industry, which is already facing delays and cost overruns.
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