“Ski-jump” carriers are smaller and weaker than catapult-equipped ones—but as recent events involving the president show, catapults are far from a silver bullet for effective carrier operations.

President Donald Trump has directed the US Navy to scrap the modern electromagnetic launch system on an upcoming aircraft carrier and instead revert to an older, steam-powered catapult method — ...

President Trump is ordering the U.S. Navy to remove the advanced system used to launch fighter jets from its newest type of aircraft carrier and return to using older steam catapults that he has long ...