The Navy’s New Ship Costs $4.4 Billion And It’s Useless

[KamaAina]

http://www.liberalamerica.org/2016/03/24/the-navys-new-ship-costs-4-4-billion-and-its-useless/

The USS Zumwalt is the first of its kind produced for the Navy, and the cost of each is about $4.4 billion. The Navy originally ordered 32 of the ships, but as costs skyrocketed, commanders cut the order down to three. In 2008, Navy leaders advocated for abandoning the program altogether.

The Zumwalt’s design was originally proposed in the 1990s. It was developed under the DD(X) destroyer program and features a futuristic-looking sloped “tumblehome” hull. It requires a smaller crew, is harder to detect on radar, and the deck can accommodate more aircraft than others in its class....

Navy officials have called into question the seaworthiness of the ship. They claim that the hull shape leaves it vulnerable to rolling over in certain conditions; the tests it will undergo are designed pinpoint such flaws. Adm. Gary Roughead worried about broader uses of the ship in 2008:
“It has a lot of technology, but it cannot perform broader, integrated air and missile defense.”...

Many expert military analysts are concerned about the cost of the ship when compared to it’s limited capabilities. Loren Thompson, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute, asked,

“How is it possible the Navy could spend a decade developing a multibillion-dollar destroyer, then suddenly discover the design is not suitable for its future needs?”

Maybe they can use it as a carrier for the F-35.

[cantbeserious]

1. Chuckles

eom

[Octafish]

2. ''A Cross of Iron'' or ''Theft in the name of national security.''

Wow, that's a lot of boondoggle.

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Imagine if we had just 1% of every war machine boondoggle?

[jpak]

4. One part bad design - one part sequester

It was built without its Dual Band radar system - they replaced part of this with a mast mounted system that reduced its stealthiness and ability to track air and surface targets.

It lacks the ability to use advanced SM-6 missiles.

The originally proposed 57 mm autocannon was replaced with a less capable 30 mm cannon.

[safeinOhio]

5. Any one remember

Our last naval battle?

[jpak]

7. 1988 Iran Iraq war

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Praying_Mantis

[safeinOhio]

25. Thanks

Almost 30 years ago and against the Iran Navy, not much of a navy and a smaller class ship was enough.
Also wonder if a million dollar cruise missile could take out that 4.4 billion dollar ship?

Big naval battles seem a thing of the past.

[nichomachus]

13. I think it was

When we blew an Iranian passenger jet out of the sky.

[Scuba]

6. Yeah, but unlike healthcare or education, building weapons creates jobs.

sarcasm thingy here for those without the gene

[VMA131Marine]

8. Don't believe everything you read ....

The Zumwalt's are a revolutionary step forward in destroyer design compared to the Arleigh Burkes they were supposed to replace. First and foremost, the DDG-1000s have much great electrical power generating capabilities as a result of their electric drive systems which will enable future weapons systems such as rail guns and directed energy weapons that could not be put on an Arleigh Burke. The article on the Navy's future destroyer ( http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/04/09/navy-makes-plans-for-new-destroyer-for-2030s.html ) indicates that their systems will be a lot closer to the DDG-1000s than the Arleigh Burkes they will be replacing. I noticed that the comments from the article in the OP are fairly old and don't account for the actual capabilities of the new ships. I will also point out that the US Navy has integrated air and missile defense ships in the form of the Aegis crusiers which are expected to serve well into the 2030s.

[msongs]

9. they can name the next one the USS Bernie Sanders since he is a war machine supporter

[KamaAina]

10. Excuse me?

[longship]

11. No worries, just HRC supporters making shit up again. nt

[NobodyHere]

20. Probably referring to the fact that Bernie has supported F-35 funding

as well as other military funding.

[Octafish]

21. Bernie voted against the war in Iraq.

He also opposed the first war in Iraq, which shows particularly good judgment.

Bernie Sanders in 1991 wanted sanctions, not war. He also asked for Bush senior to answer questions from Congress and his constituents.

[NobodyHere]

22. But he still voted several times to fund it

[Ilsa]

35. Was that vote for an omnibus bill? nt

[Takket]

12. uh oh! better cut some more food stamps to pay for it!

[Eleanors38]

14. Looks like the C.S.S. Virginia, and about as seaworthy (not!).

[Lancero]

15. Speaking of carriers and the F-35, well...

Last edited Tue Mar 29, 2016, 07:44 PM - Edit history (2)

The Navy had designed and built a new class of AAS (Amphibious Assault Ship and the F-35 was one of the craft if was supposed to be able to support...

Except... well... Uh, how should I put this? They designed the ship to be able to support the F-35... and uh, well... it turns out that... heheheh... the F-35 can kinda sorta... BURN THROUGH THE HULL.

Seriously, how the hell do they design a ship to support a aircraft and make this sort of fuck up?

Between that, the Zumwalt, and the recent nuclear submarine issues the Navy has been having I'm really starting to wonder if their higher ups can even tie their own shoes.

[KamaAina]

16. This is a classic sign of an empire in decline

when the fancy war toys stop working.

[Kaleva]

17. There's an Advanced Airborne Sensor (AAS) desigend to carry the F-35?

[Lancero]

23. Amphibious Assault Ship

[Kaleva]

27. You mean an LHA then

The problems with flight deck damage from the F-35 and MV-22 Osprey have been corrected in the follow on ships of the LHA America class.


"But Mercer did note the strategy in place for the America will not be necessary for the next two of the LHAs in the class.

USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and the yet-unnamed LHA-8, “will be able to carry out “complete unrestricted operations” with the F-35 and MV-22, Mercer said."


https://news.usni.org/2014/01/15/sna-2014-heat-f-35-mv-22-continue-plague-big-deck-amphibs

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. Can you imagine George C Marshall or Einsenhower

putting up with this crap?

Truman would have had special hearings when he was in Congress

I really don't think its stupidity but something more nefarious going on. You can't reach this level of power without an above average IQ. You may think its the military industrial complex but it goes even deeper to
''the others''

[DrBulldog]

19. Chalk up yet another one in the "Bernie was right" column.

[seanjoycek476]

24. Meanwhile countless Americans have no healthcare or education

A sad state of affairs really.

[Rex]

26. Great a ship that can roll over in the breeze and atomic subs waiting years for critical patchwork.

Then there is the F-35...boondoggle of the century.

[Major Nikon]

28. Holy Shit! We could build Trump's wall with that much

At least according to Trump.

[KamaAina]

29. Why should we? Aren't the Mexicans going to pay for it?

[Major Nikon]

30. The Mexicans are definitely going to pay for it

It's not just a campaign promise, Trump guarantees it, which means if the Mexicans don't pay for it, he must be.

[awoke_in_2003]

31. How?

That is part of the plan. Now they have to spend more money to get a design that works. It is kind of like the Air Force getting rid of the A10. There is nothing in the inventory that does what is does (and does cheaply), so they will have to come up with a ridiculously expensive replacement

[jwirr]

32. Maybe they can bring it to the Great Likes and make it into

a resort hotel.

[B Calm]

34. Weld it to a Gary, Indiana pier and paint TRUMP Casino on it sides.

[jwirr]

36. LOL

[B Calm]

33. Why is it republicans when looking for ways to cut the budget never point their

finger at the unbelievable military waste?