The U.S. Navy is conducting an internal review of a potential redesign for Ford-class aircraft carriers that would relocate the ship's command center tower. A former senior U.S. official stated the review is weighing the possibility of moving the tower, known as the "island," toward the middle of the vessel to align with the appearance of older warships following aesthetic concerns expressed by President Trump.
The island serves as the nerve center for a carrier, housing flight-deck operations, tactical command, and navigation systems. On the current Ford-class design, the island is positioned further back than on previous ship classes. Navy Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, a former commander of the USS Gerald R. Ford, stated in 2022 that this placement provides more space for aircraft to line up and troubleshoot before takeoff, increasing the speed and efficiency of flight operations.
Critics of the potential redesign, including former Navy Maritime Strategist Hunter Stires, argue that changing the island's position for aesthetic reasons would be a wasteful use of engineering resources and taxpayer funds. Stires noted that the current placement was specifically chosen to maximize aircraft sorties, which he described as the primary measure of a carrier's combat power. The Navy is expected to complete its internal review of the island's placement in several weeks.
For taxpayers and federal budget planners, a redesign could involve significant financial changes. While a specific dollar amount for moving the island was not reported, the source noted that another recent presidential directive to replace electromagnetic catapults with steam systems could cost billions of dollars. Sailors and flight deck crews would notice a concrete change in their daily work environment, as the island's location determines the amount of deck space available for taxiing, maintenance, and launching aircraft. According to Capt. Lanzilotta, the current design allows for quicker resets of aircraft systems without interrupting the overall flow of deck operations.
A decision to move the island would establish a precedent of presidential involvement in the technical engineering specifications of naval architecture based on visual preferences. This follows a National Security Memo in which President Trump ordered the service to revert to steam-powered catapults and hydraulic systems rather than the newer Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Weapons Elevators. The Navy's internal review will determine if these structural changes are feasible for the vessels currently under construction. The final report on the island redesign is due in the coming weeks.