The Zumwalt class started out as a requirement from the armed forces committee in congress for a replacement for the old battleship Naval Gunfire Support mission. That is sit a bit off the coast and go boom with big guns to help the boots on the ground.
Just one wee little problem with that: anti ship missiles have made that a suicide mission since approximately the late 60s. And no, all the stealth in the world wasn't going to make a difference in that when a simple counter battery radar would spot you, not to mention other means.
The Navy tried to get out of it but couldn't, so we got stuck building 3 rather useless boats and then canceling the program. Some neat naval design and engineering went into them which may be useful in the future, but it wasn't worth it for the sticker price at all.
The people created this fuster cluck are the same folks that kept the battleships operational or semi operational post WW2 when it was clear they were obsolete, at non trivial cost to taxpayers.
Prime example of why military spending needs to be cut in half at least to focus on what's important. Not to weaken the military but to stop bullshit like this in its track.
jasonwatkinspdx|4 years ago
The Zumwalt class started out as a requirement from the armed forces committee in congress for a replacement for the old battleship Naval Gunfire Support mission. That is sit a bit off the coast and go boom with big guns to help the boots on the ground.
Just one wee little problem with that: anti ship missiles have made that a suicide mission since approximately the late 60s. And no, all the stealth in the world wasn't going to make a difference in that when a simple counter battery radar would spot you, not to mention other means.
The Navy tried to get out of it but couldn't, so we got stuck building 3 rather useless boats and then canceling the program. Some neat naval design and engineering went into them which may be useful in the future, but it wasn't worth it for the sticker price at all.
The people created this fuster cluck are the same folks that kept the battleships operational or semi operational post WW2 when it was clear they were obsolete, at non trivial cost to taxpayers.
neuronic|4 years ago
kostap|4 years ago