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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNavy should return to 'goddamned steam' on carrier, Trump says
https://www.navytimes.com/articles/trump-says-navy-should-ditch-carrier-emalsPresident Trump says the Navy should abandon longstanding plans for electro-magnetic catapults for carrier aviation and return to the traditional steam-powered launch and recovery system, according to the president's interview with TIME.
In the interview, Trump was asked about the future of Ford-class carrier technology and he specifically addressed perceived differences between the antiquated steam-powered system and the Ford's new Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, also known as EMALS.
"You know the catapult is quite important," said Trump. "So I said what is this? Sir, this is our digital catapult system. He said well, were going to this because we wanted to keep up with modern [technology]. I said, 'You dont use steam anymore for catapult?' 'No sir.' I said, 'Ah, how is it working?' 'Sir, not good. Not good. Doesnt have the power. You know the steam is just brutal. You see that sucker going and steams going all over the place, theres planes thrown in the air.'"
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"It sounded bad to me. Digital. They have digital. What is digital? And its very complicated. You have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. And I said and now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said what system are you going to be 'Sir, were staying with digital.' I said no youre not. You going to goddamned steam, the digital costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and its no good."
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Mrs. Overall
(6,839 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,759 posts)Death Valley Days of locomotives....
nikibatts
(2,198 posts)dalton99a
(81,062 posts)JaneQPublic
(7,113 posts)obamanut2012
(25,905 posts)n/t
Lochloosa
(16,018 posts)obamanut2012
(25,905 posts)JHB
(37,128 posts)I'm not exactly well-versed on this subject. Was there really a need, or was it a case of sweet, sweet development dollars vs an old technology with little room for R&D?
Advantages and disadvantages? Capabilities vs vulnerabilities? vis a vis EMALS and steam systems.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Steam catapults must be warmed up 3 hours prior to flight ops. In addition, the steam pressure takes time to build up between launches. The steam pressure must be constantly monitored to ensure it is being maintenance properly.
EMALS is ready to launch within minutes. It needs far less time to charge capacitors between launches, meaning a higher launch rate. The launch parameters are adjusted simply by adjusting the commanded launch power, and finally the EMALS is FAR less maintenance intensive than the steam catapults.
It's not exactly the sort of issue I keep up to date on.
MyNameGoesHere
(7,638 posts)It takes massive amounts of fresh water. During round the clock ops sailers are restricted on water usage. If it were in the middle of a conflict screw the sailors, make fresh water for the cats only.
Oh and tRump is a fucking idiot.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Carrier aviation was my technical specialty for 25 years.
TheBlackAdder
(28,070 posts)struggle4progress
(118,032 posts)Ilsa
(61,675 posts)Adrahil
(13,340 posts)Wait till he finds out not all the planes use propellers.
MindPilot
(12,693 posts)WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump may have a clear preference for a goddamned steam catapult on the USS Ford and its successors, but his opinion is not based on any detailed Navy briefing about the ship, according to Sean Stackley, acting Navy Secretary. Trump may have derived his remarkably insightful observations about the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) from his March 2 visit to the Ford.
Im probably not going to get into a Q&A regarding comments the presidents made . That was a good try, Stackley told reporters yesterday afternoon. That said, Stackley went on, We have not briefed the president on the Ford program. He did go down to Newport News and visited the ship, was onboard the ship I wasnt present for that visit.
my comment:
That conversation never happened; nobody who would be in a positon to explain EMALS to the CiC would criticize it. One, because none of that shit 45 said is even remotely accurate, and two, all the Navy brass and elected officialseven those who are a hard sell like John McCain--who have actually seen it work are pretty enthusiastic.
spiderpig
(10,419 posts)Then he can pat her on her ***** and have her bring him a Dr. Pepper.
Clueless imbecile.
jmowreader
(50,447 posts)It seems that a lot of sailors are not all that happy with their commander-in-chief.
jmowreader
(50,447 posts)"You know the powerplant is quite important," said Trump. "So I said what is this? Sir, this is our nuclear reactor system. He said well, we're going to this because we wanted to keep up with modern. I said, 'you don't use coal anymore for power?' 'No sir.' I said, 'Ah, how is it working?' 'Sir, not good. Not good. Doesn't have the power. You know the coal is just brutal. You see that sucker going and steam's going all over the place, the ship's just crashing through the waves.'"
"It sounded bad to me. Nuclear. They have nuclear. What is nuclear? And it's very complicated. You have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. And I said -- and now they want to buy more aircraft carriers. I said what system are you going to be -- 'Sir, we're staying with nuclear.' I said no you're not. You going to goddamned coal and you're going to have sailors put it in the boilers with a goddamned shovel, the nuclear costs hundreds of millions of dollars more money and it's no good."