[REVISION HISTORY]

US Navy aircraft carrier redesign and renaming controversy

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-01 21:02 UTC → 2026-09-30 21:14 UTC · added ~~removed~~

President Donald Trump has issued a national security memorandum directing the U.S. Navy to replace the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and electromagnetic weapons elevators on the USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) with traditional steam and hydraulic systems. The White House cited budget overruns and complexity as justifications, with the President describing EMALS as “expensive and inefficient.” While the first three Gerald R. Ford-class carriers will retain electromagnetic systems, the redesign of the fourth vessel may face significant cost, schedule, and integration risks. General Atomics noted that production for the ship’s launch equipment was already nearly halfway complete. The memorandum also includes instructions for design changes to align with the President’s aesthetic preferences, such as potentially relocating the command tower toward the center of the hull to resemble World War II-era vessels. To address domestic capacity shortages, the directive allows certain foreign shipbuilders to temporarily construct up to two Navy ships at overseas facilities and instructs the establishment of a fifth public naval shipyard. In addition to the technical redesign, the Navy is evaluating a proposal to rename CVN-81 from the USS Doris Miller to the USS Donald Trump. This potential change has sparked controversy regarding the erasure of military historical memory. Doris Miller, the first African American to receive the Navy Cross, was honored with the vessel's name six years ago. If the change proceeds, Donald Trump would become the first sitting U.S. president to have an aircraft carrier named after him during his term in office. While the Navy considers the name change, officials are reportedly weighing the possibility of assigning Miller’s name to a different warship and recommending him for the Medal of Honor. Miller’s family has expressed shock at the potential renaming, noting they were not informed by the Navy. ~~The ship's delivery is currently projected for February 2034.~~

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