The Irreplaceable Burkes

The Strategy Page ^ | 1/5/2010 | The Strategy Page

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Sometimes a weapon comes along that is too damn useful to replace. One outstanding example is the Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Another is the M-16 (5.56mm) rifle. Both have been around for over half a century, and no one can come up with a clearly superior replacement. Same thing is happening in the U.S. Navy, where attempts to replace the Arleigh Burke class destroyers have met with failure. The navy put much effort into developing a successor for the Burke. But, in the end, the navy could only justify building, at most, three of the new DDG-1000 class ships. Instead, they resumed building Arleigh Burke class destroyers. It's a matter of cost, and effectiveness. The new DDG-1000 destroyers (and slightly larger versions designated as cruisers) would cost more than $4 billion each if built in large quantities. The Burkes cost a billion dollars each. The last of 62 Burkes was ordered in 2002 and is under construction. Another Burke will begin construction next year, and more will be built over the next decade.

[ClearCase_guy]

The new DDG-1000 destroyers (and slightly larger versions designated as cruisers) would cost more than $4 billion each if built in large quantities.

The Navy was originally going to build 32 Zumwalt destroyers.
Then they were going to build 7 of them.
Now they will build 3 and stop.
Cost per ship (last I heard) was $3.5B.
If built in "large quantities", the cost would go down, not up.

The ships aren't cheap, that's for sure. But they are a serious step forward in an era which is likely to see a struggle for sea lanes.