Shame on the USS Navy state of the art missile destroyer breaks down in Panama canal and has to be towed

Saturday, November 26th 2016 - 12:05 UTC

Full article 5 comments

The most expensive destroyer ever built for the United States Navy has suffered an engineering problem in the Panama Canal and had to be towed to port. U.S. The 3rd Fleet spokesman Commander Ryan Perry says a vice admiral has directed the USS Zumwalt to remain at ex-Naval Station Rodman in Panama to address the issues. The ship was built at Bath Iron Works in Maine. Read full article

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chronic
Lawzeeeeeeee!

Shades of the CSA Merrimac!
Nov 26th, 2016 - 02:50 pm - Link - Report abuse -5
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ChrisR
The ship had passed it's sea trials and been accepted.

Whatever went wrong is most probably related to the new energy system vital to power the rail gun which uses an immense current over a very short time to provide the 'grunt' to work the new weapon.

No surprise that a NEW machine as complex as this would have 'teething problems' and only those with either an axe to grind or having just half-a-brain would make merry over it.

The one thing you be sure of: it will be made to work as expected and WILL scare the shit out of those countries presently taking the piss.

Well done the US.
Nov 26th, 2016 - 07:16 pm - Link - Report abuse +4
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Briton
Better it breaks down now, instead of on patrol or on a war footing,

But like the type 45, both will come right in the end.
Nov 26th, 2016 - 09:09 pm - Link - Report abuse +3
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Idlehands
There is no railgun on the Zumwalt or any other ship yet. There might be if they can develop one that is useful. Railguns aren't as promising as people seem to believe. They will probably end up as an improvement to naval guns but won't be powerful enough to replace cruise missiles any time soon. The Zumwalt is the Navy's Raptor or the King Tiger of WW2. Yes it is the finest of its class ever built but it's too complex and expensive to be feasible. It fails the “quantity has a quality all of its own” principle. They did all the R&D planning 30 and now they'll be stuck with 3.
Nov 27th, 2016 - 08:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0
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ChrisR
@ Idlehands
“won't be powerful enough to replace cruise missiles any time soon.”

I would have thought never as they are not even in the same category of weapon.

BA Systems, the main contractor of the ship mounted rail gun, have put a number of promising videos online, so they must be far more advanced than that.

The real problems on these electric motor 'engines' is they cannot take the winding current when rapid changes to speed in either direction are made, at least this is what is causing the cruise ships to set fires in the engine room.
Nov 27th, 2016 - 01:23 pm - Link - Report abuse +4
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