US Navy directed to revert to steam catapults and explore foreign shipbuilding

President Trump has issued directives authorizing foreign participation in U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs and mandating a return to steam catapult technology for future carrier operations, including potential integration on Ford-class carriers. These policy shifts aim to address domestic industrial base capacity constraints and cost overruns, though the technical feasibility of integrating legacy steam catapults into modern nuclear carriers and the extent of foreign integration remain uncertain. The directives represent a significant departure from established U.S. naval procurement and defense industrial policy.