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The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
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Author: g0177325 ⎊✺🐝  😊 😞
Number: of 86252 
Subject: No one knows more about aircraft carrier design!
Date: 08/16/26 7:55 AM
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No one knows more about aircraft carrier design than Trump of course. Another vanity project boondoggle in the making. Thanks MAGA.

Here's a Gemini summary of this pay-walled article:

Key Takeaways:

Proposed Redesign for Aesthetics: The U.S. Navy is evaluating a major design change to its new Ford-class aircraft carriers to satisfy President Donald Trump’s preference for a World War II–era aesthetic. Specifically, officials are studying the feasibility of moving the multistory command tower (the "island") forward toward the middle of the hull rather than its current position near the rear (stern).

Reasoning Behind the Current Design: The Ford-class island was moved toward the stern to maximize flight-deck space for parking and launching aircraft faster, as well as to reduce turbulence for landing jets.

Potential Costs and Delays: Current and former defense officials caution that moving the island would alter the carrier's weight distribution, stability, and buoyancy. A similar review conducted during Trump’s first term concluded that moving the island would cost billions of dollars and severely delay construction timelines.

Broader Push for Changes: Relocating the island is the second major carrier design modification requested by the president. Days earlier, Trump issued a national security memorandum directing the Navy to replace the Ford class's advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) with older steam-powered catapults.

Impact on Navy Shipbuilding: The Ford-class program—projected to cost about $22 billion per vessel over a 10-ship fleet—has already faced significant delays and cost overruns. Analysts warn that catering to retro design preferences and replacing core technical systems threatens to deepen delays and strain the U.S. naval shipbuilding base.

washingtonpost.com - Navy weighs major warship redesign match trumps preferences
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This community has written 86,214 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
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