What a return from EMALS to steam catapults would involve

What would the proposed replacement of EMALS with steam catapults involve?

It would require fitting a different launching system into carriers designed around EMALS. The passage raises conversion costs and development issues without supplying a costed redesign.

Replacing EMALS on a carrier designed around electromagnetic launch would require a separate conversion project. At the time of this recording, early implementation faults were described as expected difficulties in introducing a complex launching system, alongside improving performance. The projected cost of fitting steam equipment is not accompanied by a detailed redesign or price. Suggestions about US-Chinese strategic messaging remain speculation, and the announced proposal is distinguished from work actually carried out.