We built an aircraft carrier for $19 billion, which is crazy. The price is crazy. It started off at-- I came in one of the first things I want to see. It was the Ford aircraft carrier. It was way over budget. And it had things on it that you didn't need.
Like it had magnet. It magnets to lift up the elevators with 10 and 12 planes on them. Think of it. It had all sorts of modern day things that were all instead of using steam for the catapult. They used electric. Let's have an electric catapult.
And so what I went to the ship, because I came into office and the ship was way over budget. Built a new produce, unfortunately. It was way over budget. It was going to cost $3 billion. It was up to like $18, $19. It was terrible. And I said, I want to meet the catapulter.
And the man came over along with four of his assistants. And I said, what's better? Electric catapult or steam? He's been there for 25 years. He said, steam is better. We can fix it with a hammer and a blowtorch. When the electric goes bad, I have to send the MIT to get geniuses over here.
I said, steam is better. Yes, sir. It's better. So why did they do electric? Because you can have the catapult go like this. But you can't put planes on it, sir. It takes you 39 seconds. By the time the 39 seconds is up, you have a full-head of steam. And I love breathing that steam, sir. That's that cleanest air you've ever seen.
But I said, so you're saying we spent billions of dollars extra to build electric catapults instead of using. And I said, well, I'll still hear you. He said, the elevators are no good, sir. They lifted up by magnets. So here's my deal. I said, when Caterpillar tractor-- and I watched more tractors than any human being in a rip-erock or right through a rock-- it's all hydraulic.
So I said, when Caterpillar goes into the business of using magnets to lift up their little blades, when they go away from hydraulic, I'll tell you what. I'm going to do something. I'm going to start using magnets, but we don't want to use them.
So we're not letting any Pete. We're not letting any more ships be built with the ridiculous-- billions of dollars more they spent on electric catapults and they're not good. They're not nearly as good. Too complex. And by the way, we had to call the ship in twice because the catapults didn't work. And I predicted that was true.
And the same thing with the magnetic elevators. We want them to be made hydraulic, which it can be hit by. Lightening, it can be hit by anything. When a little water touches the magnets, it doesn't work anymore. You're in the Atlantic Ocean with waves at a 60-feet high and the Pacific Ocean with waves at a 70-feet high. And they're talking about magnets. It makes you want to get sick.
I actually called in the architect of the ship. And I said, have you designed a ship before? Well, I haven't spent a lot of time on that, sir. I don't know. Even the cab. You know, the tower, the habit in the back, instead of in the middle. It's supposed to be in the middle where you have more room. I said, why do you move there? Well, we thought it was very good. Why did you do it? And why is the ammunition under the-- where the Admiral is, the tower?
They have the tower, and they have the ammunition under the tower. I say, if I'm the enemy, I know where I'm aiming. These people, and the thing goes like $20 billion is ridiculous, sir. So we're changing all of that right, Peter. You'll be fired so fast, have you done that?
No, but a lot of this is common-sense stuff, really. I mean, I hope I'm not born anybody, but it's all common-sense. This isn't exactly part of my speech, but I got to tell you. You know, I'm getting it all out now, and all the anger I have when I hear about electric catapults that don't work. Crazy.
