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Can the Navy's $12 Billion Stealth Destroyer Stay Afloat?
Daily Beast ^ | October 22, 2014 | Dave Majumdar

Posted on 10/22/2014 6:38:16 AM PDT by C19fan

The U.S. Navy is slowly preparing the first of its massive, 15,500-ton Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers for sea next year. But questions remain about many of the technologies onboard the new ships. First and foremost: can the thing even stay afloat?

The vessel—which is the largest American surface warship since the 1950s--brings a new untried “tumblehome” hull design, new power systems and gun technology that have not been used on a modern warship before. The ship is highly automated with a crew of just 142 -- compared to older ships that have a complement of about 300. But despite its massive size, the stealthy warship appears on an enemy’s sensors as something no larger than a small fishing boat.

(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: navy; zumwalt
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Did the writer from the Daily Beast even bother to do some research? Tumblehome was the standard design for wooden ships of the line and the French extensively used tumblehome designs for their pre-dreadnaught capital ships.
1 posted on 10/22/2014 6:38:16 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: C19fan

no kidding

The Nimitz Class, with a full load displacement of 97,000 tonne, is the world’s largest aircraft carrier.


2 posted on 10/22/2014 6:44:00 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: C19fan
First and foremost: can the thing even stay afloat?

You MUST be kidding me? Who were the engineers on this project? A bunch of Head Start graduates? The winner of the National Milk Carton Sailboat regatta? A Harvard graduate?

3 posted on 10/22/2014 6:44:33 AM PDT by Texas Eagle
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To: C19fan

The writer is making like he had never heard or seen an electric motor. Typical modern “journalist”.


4 posted on 10/22/2014 6:47:57 AM PDT by Fred Hayek (The Democratic Party is now the operational arm of the CPUSA)
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To: Fred Hayek

Yeah, that caught my eye, too. The Nuclear Subs and Aircraft carriers are not directly attacked to the reactors.

Are they electric powered?

I know modern trains use Diesel to generate electricity that powers electric motors. This isn’t new.


5 posted on 10/22/2014 6:51:02 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: FreeAtlanta

attached, not attacked. need more coffee.


6 posted on 10/22/2014 6:51:41 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: C19fan

First and foremost: can the thing even stay afloat?

...

What’s important is that all the contractor, cronies and lobbyists made a fortune.


7 posted on 10/22/2014 6:52:48 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: Texas Eagle

sensationalistic, anti-military, daily beast article that isn’t well written nor well researched.


8 posted on 10/22/2014 6:52:54 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: C19fan
massive 155mm guns

Since when are 6" guns 'massive'?

Yet another historically illiterate journalist.

9 posted on 10/22/2014 6:53:24 AM PDT by slowhandluke (It's hard to be cynical enough in this age.)
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To: Texas Eagle
Based on my heavy involvement in the program, I can tell you that the simple, short answer to the question is "yes". We kept to the three basic rules of naval architecture.

1. Float.

2. Float upright.

3. Float upright after a hurricane and battle damage.

The rest of the piece is pure liberal attack mode garbage.

10 posted on 10/22/2014 6:54:41 AM PDT by Pecos (That government governs best which governs least.)
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To: C19fan
I sadly took the time to read to the end of the OP. Apparently it is new technology to run motors (turbines) to generators and then to propulsion motors. Many commercial ships, subs and several other designs do that and have for a century. When you pass a freight train today marvel at the locomotive design because apparently it is new. So are the many peaker power plants that do exactly that and have for 20 years.
11 posted on 10/22/2014 6:55:32 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Pecos; FreeAtlanta

Whew. I’m feeling much better.


12 posted on 10/22/2014 6:57:01 AM PDT by Texas Eagle
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To: C19fan

Actually, I seem to remember some rather bothersome outcomes in the Coast Guard’s Deepwater Vessel developments....something about hulls breaking or could break or something like that. So this, to me, wouldn’t automatically be relegated to ‘wooden ship’ problems.


13 posted on 10/22/2014 6:58:06 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: slowhandluke
massive 155mm guns

Since when are 6" guns 'massive'?

18 inch guns on the Yamato were massive!

14 posted on 10/22/2014 7:04:11 AM PDT by painter ( Isaiah: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,")
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To: mad_as_he$$

I’ve heard it said there are only two kinds of ships. Submarines and targets.


15 posted on 10/22/2014 7:04:49 AM PDT by JohnnyP
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To: Texas Eagle

I went to MIT, an actual engineering school. We referred to Harvard as “that other school in town”.


16 posted on 10/22/2014 7:06:51 AM PDT by Pecos (That government governs best which governs least.)
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To: JohnnyP
I’ve heard it said there are only two kinds of ships. Submarines and targets.

Submarines are not ships, they're boats (at least to the bubbleheads).

17 posted on 10/22/2014 7:08:23 AM PDT by tacticalogic
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To: Pecos
I recall ( I think it was the late 80's early 90's) the Navy was actively developing rocket boosted artillery shells for the remaining battleships then still in commission. IIRC, the maximum range was 200 miles+, which would have brought about 80% of the planet's main population areas within range.

The plan was cancelled because the cost of keeping a BB in service was deemed too expensive ( maintenance, upgrades, and crew) Yet those numbers pale when you look at the tens of billions we're spending now..or the cost of sending a Tomahawk to kill an ISIL truck.

Imagine the New Jersey in the Med, lobbing salvos of 16" shells onto ISIL camps...there would soon be a big shortage of virgins..

Regarding the Zumwalt class, I have heard much criticism to suggest that a crew that size (150) cannot possibly provide sufficient damage control personnel in a ship that size (15,000 tons) I'd welcome your comments on that aspect of the ship's viability.

18 posted on 10/22/2014 7:20:27 AM PDT by ken5050
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To: ken5050

We should build some towable 16” gun barges. Pull them to the battle zone and wham!

Could we take some of the 16” guns off of some of the old decommissioned ships?


19 posted on 10/22/2014 7:25:55 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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To: C19fan

Why research when you can bash something you don’t understand?


20 posted on 10/22/2014 7:42:14 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (The cure has become worse than the disease. Support an end to the WOD now.)
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