Posted on 08/09/2016 5:49:50 AM PDT by Mariner
If ever there were a proven platform, it's the Burke class DDG.
Are they asking to delay procurement of Burke class destroyers in general or just the introduction of the Flight III variant with the new radar? The ship is designed around the radar, it’s the most prominent feature in the deckhouse and if it’s not right, the ship is just a brick. if it’s not ready for prime time it should be delayed in favor of continuing the current Flight IIA config until Flight III is truly ready.
BS. The new radar components are smaller, lighter, and more power efficient than those they are replacing - reducing cooling and power requirements. If anything this gives them more options. Therein lies the rub - those unspecified "host of other upgrades." Maybe. But you cannot lay any cost or design issues at the feet of the new radar. Yes, I know a guy that works for the company that makes them, in the radar biz, they are quite literally the best thing since sliced bread.
“The Navy has not demonstrated sufficient acquisition and design knowledge regarding its Flight III procurement approach and opportunities exist to enhance oversight,” reads an Aug. 4 GAO report
Ah, here's what the GAO really wants - opportunities for "enhanced oversight." In other words, they want more power and control, and they want to stick their noses in even deeper.
It's has nothing to do with readiness.
I know, it’s quite the reach to call a 10,000 ton platform a “DDG”.
It is ironic that the next major naval war will be fought using visual sensors. I.E. the human eyeball. Once spotted EMCON is useless and of course fire control radar will be activated. But surface/air search radar will always be under EMCON.
Over twice the displacement of the Adams class.
Once upon a time, we called 10,000 ton ships “Heavy Cruisers.”
Well it does to some extent because they say that there is critical radar testing yet to be conducted. In shipbuilding the costs are pretty well known so long as you don’t have surprises. Then even small “unknowns” can roll up to huge costs. I once had a very senior acquisition person in the navy tell me that the biggest single cost driver in a new submarine procurement was laying of piping, and that was driven by late design changes requiring piping to be pulled out and re-run. Extremely expensive.
DDG 97 is the Halsey. My son Clint did three deployments on that ship.
They did what the Navy calls a “Tiger Cruise” from Pearl Harbor back to San Diego at the end of his last one, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend.
It was an incredible experience, to say the least.
Yes, for Flight I and Flight II. Flight III is to older Burke ships as the Gerald Ford is to older aircraft carriers. New electronics needing larger superstructure, possibly longer and wider hull, etc. It makes sense to try and get a handle on costs before committing to multiple orders.
Drones.
Like a flashlight in the woods in the dark. You can see it coming long before it illuminates you.
I spent 15 years as a contractor working for the Navy and I found it very frustrating. They were constantly having committee meetings to update the specifications for programs we were on. It made it very difficult to stay within budget. On the other hand, many of the projects took many years to build, so when they specified that we had to use 8088 processors, they made the hardware and software obsolete before the systems were ever tested.
They tried making the systems modular to allow them to upgrade critical software and keep it current, but that meant we were constantly facing compatibility issues between the different modules. If one manufacturer updated the software and hardware, the others had to make the same changes or risk having a module that wouldn’t work with the rest of them.
The basic problem was that technology is advancing much quicker than our timeline for building large projects, like warships.
How much has Zero spent of our tax dollars on vacations and golf since he was made King?
about 9 year’s ago my Medium sized industrial manufacturing Company Sold some custom made Products to Navy. Typical Commercial buyer cost $200-500k per unit. Cost After Navy procurement got through Messing with specs - $8 Million. Cost As Finally delivered $18mlillion
Keep in mind that this is Dave Majumdar. He has never seen s system that is cheap enough or good enough. He is a one man wrecking ball for needed military systems and has absolutely no understanding of the technical issues with high technology.
Now, do all systems deserve support? No, obviously, but if it were up to Dave Majumdar our guys would be fighting with stone axes and knives.
This is a really goo guy to ignore.
Bath Iron Works...MAINE!
Heavy cruisers were 10,000 tons only because of the Washington naval treaty. More typically they were 12-20,000 tons.
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