Posted on 09/22/2016 6:11:49 AM PDT by artichokegrower
The U.S. Navy’s new high tech destroyer has been sidelined for repairs after suffering a seawater leak in its propulsion system less than a month before its expected commissioning.
(Excerpt) Read more at gcaptain.com ...
1) All ships leak
2) This one is still undergoing sea trials, and it’s an architecture that no other ship has, so there is going to be a learning curve. This is probably the most complex warship we’ve ever built. It uses technology that hasn’t been used in ships before, and even the familiar stuff is being used in new ways. This particular event is almost certainly operator error rather than a technology malfunction, but it’s still more likely due to the fact that this ship does a lot of things differently.
My attitude is that I fully expect several more events like this, over at least the next couple of years, as they find out what they can and can’t do, and get the rhythm of how to run the ship. If they’re still having problems like this 4 or 5 years from now, then I’ll have some criticism for them building a crap ship.
For 8, it would have probably sunk right after christening.
It gives new meeaning to the term “shakedown cruise.”
How many admirals were involved in thinking up that euphemism?!?
Let’s hope it doesn’t go the way of the littoral combat ship. That looked like it was designed by a committee of idiots.
Like anything electrical or mechanical, there is always potential for failure even at a cost of $4 Mil, thus the reason for what the Navy calls “Shake down” cruises. I would much prefer to know that the ship is ready for anything thrown at it than to have it fail when the sh&t hits the fan.
Besides, the Captain is James Kirk. Haven’t you seen Star Trek? Kirk’s ship almost always has some kind of disaster shortly after leaving dock.
As an aside, Captaining a new class of ship like this one is a sure sign of being a rising star, which means Cpt. Kirk will likely be given greater commands in the future. He should be just about done with his command tour on the Zumwalt when the Enterprise is ready to go down the ways.
Granted, though the current LCS design is heavily watered down. As I recall, the original ship would have been a real terror, and would have been extremely useful in e.g. the South China sea, dealing with all those “new” island bases the Chinese are building. Unfortunately, all kinds of budgetary things went wrong, and the ship class ended up neutered, with many weapons systems either cancelled or severely delayed. They still got useful lessons out of the LCS, though. The trimaran design is impressive, and deserves further exploration.
As I understand it, they’re going to abandon the existing LCS; my wish (and I’ve seen this echoed elsewhere) would be to transfer them to the Coast Guard, where they’d make formidable cutters. The big helipad on the trimarans seems purpose-built for the CG.
What’s his middle name?
Unfortunately, not Tiberius, but we can’t have everything.
Just axin’. :)
“1) All ships leak”
For $4,000,000,000 it better not.
Did they think to add seatbelts for the bridge crew?
Engineering Casualty is what they are called FReeper Friend. Been that way for a long time.
Excellent comments.
This is indeed an experimental ship. It points the way to the future and they tried to do things they had never done before. It’s not likely to be totally problem-free.
Contractors need to go to jail.
Nah, the armrests of the chairs fold in ;)
What’s funny is that with the tumblehome hull, the Zumwalt probably rolls more readily, which means that the bridge really will tilt a lot, especially during extreme maneuvers or if the ship takes a hit. So it’ll be more like the TOS Enterprise than one would think.
In the era of guided munitions that isn't as much of a problem but I still wonder why stability isn't as much of a concern has it has been until now.
“As I understand it, they’re going to abandon the existing LCS; my wish (and I’ve seen this echoed elsewhere) would be to transfer them to the Coast Guard, where they’d make formidable cutters. The big helipad on the trimarans seems purpose-built for the CG.”
Coast Guard won’t take them. Use too much fuel. Even the new National Security Cutters are Combined diesel and gas (CODAG). Coast Guard turned down the Cyclone Class coastal patrol boats several years ago.
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