NEW ORLEANS — About 250 federal border agents are expected to launch a months-long immigration crackdown Monday in southeast Louisiana and into Mississippi.
The operation dubbed “Swamp Sweep,” which aims to arrest 5,000 people, is centered in liberal New Orleans and is the latest federal immigration enforcement operation to target a Democratic-run city as President Trump’s administration pursues its mass deportation agenda.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, who has led aggressive operations in Chicago, Los Angeles and Charlotte, N.C., is expected to lead the campaign.
Many in the greater New Orleans area, particularly in Latino communities, have been on edge since the planned operations were reported this month. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry said he welcomes the federal agents.
Here’s what to know:
Border Patrol tactics criticized
Bovino has become the Trump administration’s go-to operative for leading large-scale, high-profile immigration enforcement campaigns. During his operation in Chicago, federal agents rappelled from a helicopter into an apartment complex and fired pepper balls and tear gas at protesters.
Federal agents arrested more than 3,200 immigrants during a surge in the Chicago area in recent months, but have not provided many details. Court documents on roughly 600 recent arrests showed that only a few of those arrested had criminal records representing a “high public safety risk,” according to federal government data.
The Border Patrol, which does not typically operate in dense urban areas or in situations with protesters, has been accused of heavy-handed tactics, prompting several lawsuits. A federal judge in Chicago this month accused Bovino of lying and rebuked him for deploying chemical irritants against protesters.
Bovino has doubled down on the efficacy of his agency’s operations.
“We’re finding and arresting illegal aliens, making these communities safer for the Americans who live there,” he said in a post on X.
Louisiana’s strict enforcement laws
The Department of Justice has accused New Orleans of undermining federal immigration enforcement and included it on a list of 18 so-called sanctuary cities. The city’s jail, which has been under long-standing oversight from a federal judge, does not cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under most circumstances, and its Police Department views immigration enforcement as a civil matter outside its jurisdiction.
Louisiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature, however, has passed laws to compel New Orleans agencies to align with the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration stance.
One such law makes it a crime to “knowingly” do something intended to “hinder, delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with or thwart” federal immigration enforcement efforts. Anyone who violates the law could face fines and up to a year of jail time.
Additionally, lawmakers expanded the crime of malfeasance in office, which is punishable by up to 10 years in jail, for government officials who refuse to comply with requests from agencies like ICE. It also prohibits police and judges from releasing from their custody anyone who “illegally entered” the U.S. “or unlawfully remained” here without providing advance notice to ICE.
New Orleans braces
In and around New Orleans, some immigration lawyers say they have been inundated with calls from people trying to prepare for the upcoming operation. One attorney, Miguel Elias, says his firm is conducting many consultations virtually or by telephone because people are too afraid to come in person.
He likens the steps many in the immigrant community are taking to what people do to prepare for a hurricane — hunker down or evacuate. Families are stocking up on groceries and making arrangements for friends to take their children to school to limit how frequently they leave the house, he said.
In the days leading up to Border Patrol’s planned operations, businesses have posted signs barring federal agents from entry and grassroots advocacy groups have offered rights-related training and workshops on documenting the planned crackdown.
New Orleans is famous for its blend of cultures, but only around 6.7% of its population of nearly 400,000 is foreign-born, rising to almost 10% in neighboring metro areas. That’s still well below the national average of 14.3%, according to U.S. census data.
The Pew Research Center estimates 110,000 immigrants who lack permanent legal status were living in Louisiana as of 2023, constituting approximately 2.4% of the state’s population. Most of them are from Honduras.
Amanda Toups, who owns the New Orleans Cajun restaurant Toups Meatery and runs a nonprofit to help feed neighbors in need, said she expects the federal operations will hurt the city’s tourism-dependent economy, which supports the rest of Louisiana.
“If you’re scaring off even 5% of tourism, that’s devastating,” she said. “You’re brown and walking around in town somewhere and you could get tackled by ICE and you’re an American citizen? Does that make you want to travel to New Orleans?”
Brook, Santana and Cline write for the Associated Press and reported from New Orleans, Washington and Baton Rouge, La., respectively.
A TRAIN journey across the UK can be a magical experience depending on the views – but a new train is launching that doesn’t actually go anywhere.
The Unseen Experience is set to open in Londonnext month and unlike a normal train journey where you purchase a ticket, get on board and travel from A to B, this service stays in the same spot.
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A new experience is opening in London that is set onboard a train… but you don’t go anywhereCredit: Feverup.com
Visitors will ‘board’ in complete darkness, being blindfolded throughout their ‘journey’.
Then, each ‘passenger’ will be “transported through time aboard a mysterious train as 3D audio surrounds you from every direction”, according to the event’s creators, Fever.
The experience involves two stories on one train and is said to be “perfect for fans of mystery, crime and psychological thrillers” – so perhaps not one for people who are expecting the Orient Express.
The site for the experience explains: “You’re pulled into two worlds separated by time, where danger, tension, and unexpected turns reveal themselves only through sound.
“Whispers move behind you, footsteps close in from different angles, and voices emerge so close they feel real, all powered by cutting-edge 3D audio that lets your imagination build every scene.
“In this intimate, fully dark space, reality blurs and every sound becomes a clue, a sensation, a moment you can’t predict.”
According to Secret London, in the first world, you are a deserter on the run in 1980, during the Cold War.
Then, in the second world, you are a survivor on the same train, but this time it is around 100 years later in a post-apocalyptic world.
Your fate is decided by the fellow passengers.
The journey lasts for 35 minutes in total and each passenger must be over the age of 14 years old.
The experience is currently selling tickets for sessions between December 11 to December 21.
And currently, there is a Black Friday offer on tickets.
Instead of £14, some time slots are £11.20 per person as part of the deal.
This isn’t the first blindfolded experience to come to the capital – there is also a restaurant experience called ‘Dans le Noir?’.
‘Passengers’ are blindfolded throughout the experience and instead rely on 3D audio which makes them feel as if they are on a trainCredit: Feverup.com
The one-of-a-kind restaurant is completely in the dark, meaning that each diner does not know what they are eating.
The restaurant, which opened back in 2006, instead of focusing on sight and the presentation of dishes, uses high-quality ingredients to take diners on a taste journey, whereby flavours, textures and smells become stronger as your vision is taken away.
In fact, the capital is home to a plethora of different experiences, such as the first-ever Traitors live experience – it was a heart-pounding world of lies and best friend-betrayal.
Or perhaps for something a little more kid friendly, there is the Paddington immersive experience with ‘train rides’ and street parties.
The experience is currently selling tickets for sessions between December 11 to December 21Credit: Feverup.com
A BRAND new indoor water park is set to come to the UK – complete with a sauna, slides and a splash zone.
The venue will replace the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich which has been a pillar of the community since it was erected in 1988.
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A beloved leisure centre in southeast London is set to be demolishedCredit: Google mapsWoolwich’s Waterfront Leisure Centre has shut after nearly 30 yearsCredit: Google maps
The latter has seen better days, with some locals alleging black mould has been seen while some water slides have been closed to the public indefinitely.
However, residents will be happy to hear that a fresh alternative will soon be available to visit.
Woolwich Waves, situated opposite General Gordon Square, will boast two pools, slides, a two-floor gym, sports halls, squash courts, soft play and a sauna and will wave in punters next month.
The leisure centre has costed a whopping £115million to build.
As for the future of the crumbling Waterfront Leisure Centre, a decision is expected to be made on November 19 during a penned council meeting.
Berkeley Homes, which already built flats on water park’s old car park, has been earmarked to inhabit the space after the centre has been razed to the ground.
Greenwich Councillor Majid Rahman, Cabinet Member for Planning, Estate Renewal and Development, said: “The regeneration of Woolwich remains a key priority for the council and Woolwich Waves sits at the heart of that.
Cllr Rahman added: “The closure of the existing Waterfront Leisure Centre has always been part of the long-term plan of the delivery of Woolwich Waves.
“Subject to approval by Cabinet, it is recommended that the old Waterfront Leisure Centre building is demolished, when it becomes vacant, to avoid anti-social behaviour and associated security costs – challenges that come with a building sitting vacant.
“Then steps would be taken to repurpose the site for future sale that would be subject to a transparent and competitive process, ensuring best value for the borough.
“The repurposing of the Waterfront site would pave the way for more much-needed housing and contribute to the council’s and the Mayor of London’s affordable housing targets.”
Earlier this year, two popular public leisure centres in the UK suddenly closed down.
The City of Lincolnshire Council confirmed that their Yarborough and Birchwood leisure centres would close effective immediately on Wednesday night.
The Yarborough Leisure Centre provided a gym, swimming pool, running track and studios for classes, while the Birchwood facility included a gym, spin studio and 3G pitches.
Active Nation’s statement referenced “the ongoing utility crisis and challenges it has created” as the reason for the sudden closures.
It claims to have tried to find another company to take over the services whilst working with the council, but to no success.
A Yarborough Leisure Centre instructor, Carla, told the BBC: “We didn’t know anything about it, the place was buzzing and it was busy but then we got the news”, after just having taught a class in the morning.
A number of staff expressed their concerns employment, and cited the tough trading conditions they worked through to try keep the venues running.
Customers of the leisure centres, Mauva Jessel, Nina Hill and Elise Rothwell, have also shared with the BBC they are worried about the fees already paid to be made members.
The Labubu dolls, a global sensation this year, may be adapted into a feature film as reported by the Hollywood Reporter. Sony Pictures has finalized a deal to develop this movie, currently in the early stages of production, with no decision yet on whether it will be live action or animated.
The popularity of Labubus, created by China’s Pop Mart, has surged, with demand highlighted by celebrity endorsements from figures like Rihanna and Lisa of Blackpink. Consumers are eager to purchase the dolls, packaged in “blind boxes” that conceal the specific model until opened. Sony, known for producing the “Jumanji” series and the animated Netflix series “KPop Demon Hunters,” has not commented on this new project.
While an official opening date is yet to be revealed, it hopes to welcome tourists by 2030.
As many two million tourists a year are expected to visit.
Therme Group CEO Dr. Robert Hanea said: “Backed by decades of science and innovation, Therme Singapore will be a state-of-the-art facility that transforms urban life by making holistic health enjoyable and accessible to all.”
This was backed by the Singapore Tourism Board who said it would make Singapore a “leading urban wellness haven”.
They added: “In line with our pursuit of quality tourism, this attraction will draw travellers seeking wellness experiences, potentially increasing length of stay and spend, whilst providing locals with best-in-class wellness experiences.”
The Therme Singapore might look familiar because of a similar one opening in the UK.
Therme Singapore will be open by 2030Credit: Therme Singapore
Therme Manchester was first announced back in 2020 and now hopes to open in 2028, after a number of delays.
Costing £450million, it will be the UK’s largestwellbeing resort.
TRAIN travel can be very expensive in the UK, especially when you’re travelling halfway across the country.
But one train company that offers affordable tickets has applied to start two additional direct routes between major UK cities.
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Lumo has put in application to run more train routes across the UKCredit: AlamyOne of the proposed routes will run from York to CardiffCredit: Alamy
Lumo, which offers affordable journeys onboard its fleet of electric trains, has plans to add even more routes to its network.
FirstGroup, which owns Lumo, has revealed that it has submitted applications to begin new direct routes between Cardiff and York, and Rochdale and London Euston.
The company hopes these routes will be operational by December 2028.
Lumo hopes to run return services between the cities to six times a day throughout the week from Cardiff to York.
It hopes that this journey would “replicate the success of the Edinburgh to London service” which Lumo started in 2021.
As for the Rochdale to London route, the application proposes three return services on weekdays and Sundays and four services every Saturday.
Lumo said this would provide residents of the north-west a “convenient and competitively priced” direct rail service to London.
The train company also applied to extend its new route between Scotland’s Stirling and London Euston.
Another route will run between London Euston and Rochdale in outer ManchesterCredit: AlamyThe average journey time from Cardiff Central to York by train is 4 hours 45 minutesCredit: Alamy
The service between Stirling and London has been approved and will start to run from next year.
The new application has asked for it to be extended past May 2030 when the contract currently ends.
Lumo’s new route will link London Euston directly to Stirling, calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet (serving Coatbridge), Greenfaulds (serving Cumbernauld) and Larbert.
Lumo tries to keep its train fares affordable and aims for 60 per cent of its single fares to be under £30.
Onboard a Lumo train, there are no first class seat options. But wherever you sit, you’ll have USB sockets and tray tables.
Passengers can also personalise their lighting through the button on the back of the seat in front of them.
Additional amenities include free Wi-Fi, a winged headrest for comfort and a coat hanger.
Lumo will connect two more major cities from December 2025…
Customers travelling between London and Glasgow can do so on a new Lumo service which starts in December 2025.
Lumo announced its new service on social media. It said: “Our new timetable starts on 14th December 2025!
“Our new Glasgow service will start in December and we’re also adding an additional service from Newcastle to London King’s Cross every weekday.”
Lumo plans to run two northbound and one southbound service on weekdays and one service in each direction on Sundays between London King’s Cross and Glasgow.
The new route will go between the two cities but will also stop at Falkirk High and Newcastle.
If booked in advance for journeys in 2026, tickets start from as little as £33.90. Anyone travelling from Newcastle to Glasgow can buy tickets for just £10.90.
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivers a rare pre-budget speech Tuesday at her official residence at No. 9 Downing Street, London, in which she suggested tax hikes were unavoidable. Photo by Andy Rain/Pool/EPA
Nov. 4 (UPI) — British Chancellor Rachel Reeves signaled Tuesday that she was likely to raise taxes on ordinary people in her upcoming budget this month in spite of an election pledge by the Labour government it would not do so.
In a speech in Downing Street, Reeves said she would make “the choices necessary” to ensure the foundation of the economy was sufficiently strong for the government to deliver on its mandate to protect the NHS, get down the national debt and rebuild the economy.
Notably, she did not repeat the manifesto pledge the party ran on in the 2024 general election, in which it swept to power to leave untouched the three main taxes — income tax, National Insurance and VAT.
Instead, seeking to explain her actions in advance of her watershed budget, which she will deliver to Parliament on Nov. 26, she said people needed to “understand the circumstances we are facing” and that everyone needed to do their bit to rectify the situation.
“As I take my decisions on both tax and spend I will do what is necessary to protect families from high inflation and interest rates, to protect our public services from a return to austerity and to ensure that the economy that we hand down to future generations is secure, with debt under control.
“If we are to build the future of Britain together, we will all have to contribute to that effort. Each of us must do our bit for the security of our country and the brightness of its future.”
Reeves dangled the prospect of rewards down the line, stating that getting it right now would yield more resilient public finances with the headroom to withstand global shocks, which in turn would provide businesses with the confidence to invest.
She said that would in turn leave the government with more leeway to act when necessary, investing in infrastructure and industry to build a stronger economy and get down the cost of government debt, spending less on interest and more and schools and the NHS.
Reeves is betting on the budget, her second, to win the endorsement of the market for her management of the country’s finances by showing she can stick to the fiscal rules she set for herself in October 2024.
Those rules state she must balance spending with revenue — within a plus or minus margin of 0.5% of GDP — within five years, meaning no borrowing for everyday spending from the 2029-30 financial year onward. In addition, the ratio of government debt to GDP must begin falling within the same timeframe.
To do that, however, she must demonstrate how she plans to plug a fiscal hole of as much as $40 billion and boost lackluster economic growth.
The only options to close the gap and balance the books are a return to austerity — which the government has categorically ruled out — or boost the amount of money flowing into government coffers.
Reeves raised some taxes on business in her first budget in November 2024 and to come back for more after promising she would not do so, particulary when it comes to raising the basic rate of income tax — currently 20% — is very high risk, politically.
It hasn’t been done for 50 years and it didn’t work out well for then-Labour government with the country plunged into a currency crisis and forced to seek a bailout loan from the IMF.
Reeves mostly laid blame at the feet of the previous Conservative administration’s policies, including Brexit, austerity and cuts to infrastructure spending, all of which she said had led to falling productivity.
She also cited high inflation globally and economic uncertainty created by the trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in recent months.
Conservative shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, said it was now certain tax hikes for families and businesses were on the way.
He said that if Reeves proceeded to go back on her word, she should quit.
Daisy Cooper, Treasury spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, said the government could no longer dodge responsibility.
“It’s clear that this budget will be a bitter pill to swallow as the government seems to have run out of excuses,” she said.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
President Donald Trump says he plans to sign an executive order that would compel the U.S. Navy to use steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators on new aircraft carriers. Trump has railed against the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapults and Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWE) on the USS Gerald R.Ford, the Navy’s newest supercarrier, for years now. Ford‘s catapults and elevators have faced reliability and maintenance issues, but swapping out these features, even just for future ships in the class, would involve an extremely costly and time-consuming redesign that would further delay new carriers entering service.
Trump announced his intention to issue an executive order regarding carrier catapults and weapons elevators during often free-wheeling remarks to servicemembers aboard the Nimitz class carrier USS George Washington earlier today. The George Washington is currently in port in Yokosuka, Japan, where it is forward deployed. The President is in Japan as part of a larger tour of Asia.
President Donald Trump speaks aboard the supercarrier USS George Washington earlier today. White House
The Navy currently has 10 Nimitz class carriers, which have steam-powered catapults and hydraulic weapons elevators. In addition to the in-service USS Gerald R.Ford, there are three more Ford class carriers now in various stages of construction. The Navy’s stated plan has been to eventually acquire at least 10 Ford class flattops to replace the Nimitz class.
“I’m putting out an order, I’m going to sign an executive order, when we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults and it’s hydraulic for the elevators,” Trump said after suggesting, without elaborating, that water could disable Ford‘s electromagnetic systems. “We’ll never have a problem.”
Trump: They have magnets… Somebody decided to use magnets… I’m going to sign an executive order, when we build aircraft carriers, it’s steam for the catapults and hydraulics for the elevators. Do you agree? Everybody agrees. pic.twitter.com/O9TbTucqKR
“I’m gonna put in an order, seriously,” the President also said. “They’re spending billions of dollars to build stupid electric. And the problem, when it breaks, you have to send up to MIT, get the most brilliant people in the world, fly them out. The steam, they said they can fix it with a hammer and blowtorch. And it works just as well, if not better.”
“They had steam, which worked so beautifully, and it has for 50 years, right? So we’re gonna go back. Seriously, fellas, I want to make that change. I’m gonna do an executive order,” he added. “I’m not going to let them continue to do this thing. They’re trying to make it work, they’re trying so hard, and they have something that’s perfect. So we’re going to go back on that and the magnets.”
Trump to troops in Japan: “Let me ask you. We’re gonna go steam first and then electric. Catapults, which is better, electric or stream? I’m gonna put in an order. Seriously. They’re spending billions of dollars to build stupid electric. And the problem when it breaks you have to… pic.twitter.com/BZZxuj8XmU
As noted, this is hardly the first time Trump has criticized the Ford class design’s electromagnetic catapults and elevators, stretching back all the way to his first term. In 2017, he also indicated that he would order the Navy to abandon those features, but never followed through. If an executive order on this matter is now indeed coming, what it will actually direct the service to do remains to be seen.
TWZ has reached out to the White House, the Pentagon, and the Navy in regards to Trump’s remarks. The Pentagon redirected us to the Navy.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet is prepared for launch from the USS Gerald R. Ford. USN/Seaman Brianna Barnett
There is real truth behind the President’s criticisms about the catapults and weapons elevators on Ford, which is also known by its hull number CVN-78. TWZ has covered the issues with both of these systems, as well as other long-troubled aspects of the ship’s design, in detail for years now. The Navy has been working to mitigate these problems, but has continued to face challenges at least as recently as last year.
During Ford‘s first full-length deployment between May 2023 to January 2024, “the ship and its embarked air wing completed 8,725 catapult launches using the EMALS,” according to the most recent annual report from the Pentagon’s Office of the Director of Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), which was published earlier this year. “However, DOT&E has not received sufficient data to update the reliability statistics reported in the FY23 [Fiscal Year 2023] Annual Report. Despite engineering upgrades to hardware and software, reliability has not appreciably changed from prior years and reliance on off-ship technical support remains a challenge. NAVAIR [Naval Air Systems Command] is continuing development on improvements.”
“The Navy reported that, during CVN 78’s deployment, the ship’s weapons department conducted 11,369 AWE runs, moving 1,829,580 pounds of ordnance to the flight deck. However, the Navy has yet to build and transfer ordnance to the flight deck at rates reflective of the Design Reference Mission,” DOT&E’s report also said. “Of note, the crew is reliant on off-ship technical support for correction of hardware and software failures. DOT&E expects the SGR [sortie generation rate] tests [planned for Fiscal Year 2025] to be the first operationally representative demonstration of high ordnance throughput.”
In principle, EMALS, together with the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), is supposed to give Ford class carriers a significant boost in capability over their predecessors when it comes to the speed at which they can launch and recover aircraft. The software-controlled EMALS and AAG, the latter of which has also faced issues over the years, have lower reset times than the steam-powered systems found on Nimitz class carriers.
The EMALS and AAG can also be more fine-tuned in terms of the forces they exert on aircraft during launch and recovery, expanding the range of types they can accommodate and adding additional margins of safety. This notably helps open the door for embarking smaller and more fragile types on Ford class carriers in the future. This flexibility could be particularly critical for supporting carrier-based drone operations down the line. Wear and tear on individual aircraft can also be reduced.
The electromagnetic AWEs are intended to further help improve the overall efficiency of flight operations on Ford by reducing the time it takes to get ordnance and other stores to where they need to go.
As DOT&E has made clear, however, the EMALS and AWEs, as well as the AAG, have yet to live up to their full potential, despite Ford now being regularly deployed, including in support of combat operations.
There is something of a precedent for significant changes to the Ford class design. The USS Gerald R.Ford is now set to be the only ship in the class with another long-troubled feature, a Dual Band Radar (DBR) system, which you can read more about here. All future ships in the class are now set to have a variant of the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) in place of the DBR.
A rendering highlighting the planned installation of the AN/SPY-6(V)3 variant of the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) in place of the Dual Band Radar (DBR) on the future Ford class carrier USS John F. Kennedy. Raytheon
That being said, replacing the EMALS (and likely the AAG as a result) and the AWEs on the Ford, or any of the other ships in the class currently under construction, would be an immensely more complicated, costly, and time-consuming proposition. The catapults and elevators are far more deeply integrated into the core structure of the ship than the DBR. Even just changing the design for future carriers in the class would be extremely complex. A hybrid arrangement involving a mix of steam and EMALS capabilities might be an option, but would then create two systems that need to be integrated together, as well as sustained once operational.
Delivery of additional Ford class carriers has already been significantly delayed. The prospective delivery date for the second ship in the class, the future USS John F. Kennedy, has already slipped to March 2027, nearly three years later than originally expected. The Navy told USNI News earlier this year that it is looking for ways to shift that timetable back to the left.
Any massive changes to the underlying Ford class design of the ships could easily have cascading effects in that regard, on top of cost growth and other issues. This, in turn, could upend Navy plans for replacing retiring Nimitz class carriers at a time when the service’s carrier fleet overall has been under particular strain due to high operational demands in recent years. Just last week, the Pentagon ordered Ford to cut its scheduled cruise in Europe short and set sail for the Caribbean to support expanded counter-drug operations in that part of the world.
The USS Gerald R. Ford seen transiting from the Atlantic Ocean into the Mediterranean Sea via the Strait of Gibraltar on October 1, 2025. USN
Last Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the White House and the Navy are in the early stages of hashing out a larger naval force restructuring plan for what has been termed a future “Golden Fleet.”
“Specifically, the White House and the Pentagon are in early talks about building a heavily armored, next-generation ship that could weigh as much as 15,000-20,000 tons and carry more powerful weapons, even potentially hypersonic missiles, in larger numbers than current destroyers and cruisers, the current and former officials said,” according to that report.
This lends some credence to off-hand comments from Trump back in September, where he claimed to be talking with Navy Secretary John Phelan about adding “battleships” with gun-centric armament and heavily armored hulls back into America’s combat fleets. In TWZ‘s deep analysis of Trump’s remarks at the time, we highlighted that battleship-like arsenal ships primarily packed with Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells have been proposed as part of the Navy’s future force structure on various occasions in the past.
Artwork from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency showing a notional arsenal ship dating back all the way to the 1990s. DARPA 1990s artwork from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency showing a notional arsenal ship. DARPA
The Golden Fleet plans, at least as they exist now, also reportedly put heavy emphasis on uncrewed vessels as part of a “barbell-shaped” overall force structure, “with large ships at one end and small ships at the other,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
Altogether, it still remains to be seen what Trump directs the Navy to do with regard to carrier catapults and elevators, or if the promised executive order materializes at all. Even if the President does not ultimately order the Navy to go back to steam-powered catapults and hydraulic elevators, his influence could still appear in other ways in the configuration of future American supercarriers.
