Above, a Messerschmitt Me 262A at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
From Wikipedia: The design of what would become the Me 262 started in April 1939, before World War II. It made its maiden flight on 18 April 1941 with a piston engine, and its first jet-powered flight on 18 July 1942. Progress was delayed by problems with engines, metallurgy, and interference from Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler. The German leader demanded that the Me 262, conceived as a defensive interceptor, be redesigned as ground-attack/bomber aircraft. The aircraft became operational with the Luftwaffe in mid-1944. The Me 262 was faster and more heavily armed than any Allied fighter, including the British jet-powered Gloster Meteor. The Allies countered by attacking the aircraft on the ground and during take-off and landing. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Me_2620)
I’ve posted above as the Indy’s headline is “Trump finally orders Navy to return to older steam catapults in obsession that could cost billions”…… (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/steam-catapults-donald-trump-navy-b3032953.html)
EMALS (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_Aircraft_Launch_System) was developed by the USN to reduce the times between launching aircraft and also to reduce the strain on the airframes of the aircraft being launched.
That President Trump is insisting that the Gerald R Ford class carriers be retro-fitted with a system (steam catapults) they were not designed for will cost billions of US $, take extended times in refit and produce a less satisfactory warship at the end of it!
This is a classic case of a politician ordering professional military leaders to carry out a policy that the said leaders know to be disastrous!