Wish it was Fake News

[barretcreek]

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2018/07/7-5-billion-zumwalt-destroyer-needs-new-engine-despite-only-a-few-months-of-use.html

One of the design features of GT vessels is ease of engine c/o. Can this be real? Right way, wrong way.....

[togor]

OMG that program should be a career-ender for multiple people in the procurement office, but instead probably promotions and stars all around. Ships highly vulnerable to direct fire so don't let them within 5 miles of hostile shores. And building just 3...not enough to merit a significant doctrine. Complete fiasco.

[bruce]

Maybe the russians have some surplus stuff that can be bought and reconfigured to be of use? Would allow time for someone to come up with something that would actually work and be worth producing ... putting into service. JMHO. Sincerely. bruce.

[S.A. Boggs]

Putting the cart before the horse it appears. Much as we need a strong military, this appears too much! Just what the heck makes this so special?
Sam

[Tuna]

It's supposed to be very hard to detect on radars so it has stealth capabilities. It is the most computer controlled ship to ever have been built with multiple redundancies of the computer systems built in. The main frame for the computers is in the heart of the ship. But if any or all of the systems are damaged or destroyed in the main frame, there is a separate system in each of the major departments on board to take over for that department. Communications, engineering, fire control for the gun and missiles or even just steering the ship all controlled by the computers. The system even has email for all the crew. The amount of crew is only about a third of what would be on a conventional similar ship. The original plans by the Navy was for 33 of these ships but the congress critters said no but you can have three of them.

[togor]

Another one of those ideas that looks great in the Powerpoint presentation but falls apart in the real world. Same basic problem as the F-35--trying to do too much at the same time with a platform. Lack of focus is a common managerial failing.

Oh, and let's not forget that this baby has the LRLAP cannon on it. A gun for which no ammo is made.

[Sunray]

How does one accept "Partial delivery" of a boat? Especially one that is rumoured to be unstable. And built by aircraft makers.

[jon_norstog]

Man! When I was in the USCG I got put on the new "SecretaRY class" cutter Rush. She was 374 feet long with twin P&W gas turbines plus an electric bow thruster. Reversable twin screws. She could stop from flANK SPEEDin 1 1/2 tumes her length, go from cold iron to flank speed in 90 seconds, need be. She had Fairbanks Morse 12 cylinder diesels for cruising ... hull cost was $12 million, completed $20 mil. Top speed was over 30 kt. Armament included ASW stuff plus the trusty 5" 38. He4licopter landing and storage on the 01 deck ... she was a cream puff. A couple hundred of her could have swept the seas.

So what do we get? The Z-ships. Billions of $ apiece and they can't even get underway. It'sw a triumph of ,the military procurement system. God help the poor sailors who have to fight the next war.

jn

[JB White]

So they have redundant/back up systems to take over in case of failure. Except when an engine conks out in theater. Then hobble across the globe to hire millwrights and railroad workers to help the computer guys install a new one. Scary that it makes sense to some people.

Probably from the same class that keeps reinventing the ergonomic hammer. The ones which don't work in between joists etc...but at least they feel good in the hand when posing for pictures.

[Clark Howard]

I do hope that the duty officer and the fire control officer are speaking to each other.

[AZshooter]

Betcha they're sitting 'round the big table about now & questioning the wisdom of the bean counter who said they didn't need to buy the extended warranty ...

[togor]

Extended? So the Navy only gets 90 days on parts and labor?