U.S. Navy’s New Fast Transport Ships Can’t Stand Buffeting From High Seas

gCaptain ^ | January 14, 2016 | Tony Capaccio

[artichokegrower]

The U.S. Navy is spending millions of dollars to repair new high-speed transport ships built by Austal Ltd. because their weak bows can’t stand buffeting from high seas, according to the Pentagon’s chief weapons tester.

[artichokegrower]

The entire ship class requires reinforcing structure” to bridge the twin hulls of the all-aluminum catamarans because of a design change that the Navy adopted at Austal’s recommendation for the $2.1 billion fleet of Expeditionary Fast Transports

So why would the American taxpayer be on the hook for a design error made by the contractor?

[deweyfrank]

Trump wouldn’t pay for the change.

[apoliticalone]

Common sense would say that if the contractor recommended the change they should be wholly responsible. Common sense no longer rules our culture. Cronyism, corruption, political correctness, connections, favoritism have taken over from ethical accountability. The politically connected and elites cover for each other, and send us the bill.

[yarddog]

Some things just don’t look right and this ship is one of them.

Also that picture of the Zumwalt destroyers looks like something out of the Civil War.

[Mr. M.J.B.]

For the same reason an American company wasn’t the supplier and for the same reason every post and reply looks ’s liek’s’s t’sthis.

[Rebelbase]

~~Sir, we had to cut off pursuit of the enemy due to rough seas being at least 10 feet~~

[microgood]

So why would the American taxpayer be on the hook for a design error made by the contractor?

The Navy approved the change. They obviously shouldn't have, but they did.

[DesertRhino]

That’s perfect, the can be escorted by Litoral “combat” Ships that cannot also stand high seas.

[smokingfrog]

They're thoroughbreds, not cow ponies. You gotta baby them a little bit. Making them out of titanium would be ideal, but that could be a tad pricey.

[Larry Lucido]

I can only take so much Buffetting, myself.

[libh8er]

Could it be that the U.S. Navy was under pressure to cut costs ?

[DanielRedfoot]

Love it!

Take a gold star out of petty cash ;- )

[Larry Lucido]

:-)

[eartrumpet]

If you want titanium, bolt a couple of mothballed SR-71s underneath.

[Sam Cree]

If it can’t take rough seas, what happens when a shell or missile hits it?

[himno hero]

nothing.
the ordinance will just whistle through it! lol

[DesertRhino]

“If it can’t take rough seas, what happens when a shell or missile hits it?”

Heyyyyy, that’s a very rude question. In fact, such critical thinking skills are probably a microaggression. The navy is offended.

I hope you’re happy.

[artichokegrower]

The vessel's latest sea tests also were marred by the poor reliability of generators made by Fincantieri SpA that supply electrical power, according to Gilmore. The generators failed "at a much greater rate than predicted." Required to operate 8,369 hours between major failures, the generators failed as soon as 208 hours at some points, improving to 1,563 hours in the most recent tests.
8,000 hours 200 hours hey it was close

[Dick Bachert]

Armed with a single MA-2 .50 caliber Browning, this much feared naval vessel carries up to 30 rounds of aluminum piercing ammunition. It is the first in an entirely new naval architecture class -- technically, “clitoral” (not to be confused with “littoral”) -- being pushed on the Pentagon by the defense minded wussies in the Obama Administration as a cost-saving measure. If you look closely, you can see the heavy-duty seat restraint which prevents the pilot/gunner – Kamakazi Kowalski – from leaping from the vessel prior to engaging the enemy. The 12 V trolling motor – which lacks a reverse function -- propels this sophisticated craft forward at a top speed of 4 knots. Reverse travel – at approximately 35 knots -- is achieved by firing the Browning.

The no-bid contract to build 200 of these fearsome warships was to have been awarded to Obama-Soros-Emanuel Shipbuilding and Stormdoor Manufacturing (formerly General Dynamics) and will be administered by trusted Obama associate and former Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emanuel who commented that, at $12 million each, they are a bargain. They will be constructed exclusively at the company’s facility in Kenya with major subcomponent production (rivets and miscellaneous fasteners) at the company’s Harlem and Skokie plants. Delivery is expected to begin in 2024 (or as soon as the subcontractors’ funds are safely in the contractor's Swiss account).

[Paladin2]

What does the Head Cheese of Omaha have to do with it?