Navy Reaching to Outside Help With Supercarrier Elevators
The USS Gerald R. Ford. (Breaking Defense)
The Secretary of the Navy assured President Trump that the elevators on the supercarrier would be working… Or the President could fire him. One of the main issues that the Navy is dealing with, regarding these ships, involves the elevators.
These elevators are supposed to be an improvement over the ones that are currently in use. They could lift more weight to the flight quick quicker, allowing for quick turnaround time for combat jets. In theory, this should allow the supercarriers to cycle fighter jets back into the fight quicker than what had normally been done.
The Navy called together a group of experts, who are working with the shipbuilders to work these issues out. Those working with the elevators don’t think that the problem would be solved by the time the Secretary of the Navy believes they would be solved.
From Business Insider:
Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer told President Donald Trump in December that “the elevators will be ready to go when she pulls out or you can fire me.” He told reporters earlier this year that “we’re going to get it done. I know I’m going to get it done. I haven’t been fired yet by anyone. Being fired by the president really isn’t on the top of my list.”
The secretary assured the president that problems with the elevators would be resolved by the end of the post-shakedown availability (PSA), a maintenance period following initial sea trials. The PSA was expected to wrap up in July, but it has since been delayed to October.
Could this be one of those things that sounded good when the good idea fairy whacked somebody on the head? Of course, there is the process that the Navy goes through to contract the construction of a ship, or to contract major work to be done on a current ship.
Some builders will overpromise and under deliver. In this scenario, this will be just the tip of the iceberg. There would be other issues at play. This article shows a hint of disconnect between what those at the top think, and what those on the deck plates think.
This reminds me of a time when the Navy implemented a program that was essentially a duplicate of other programs that were in place. The Admiral came up with the idea, wanted it implemented, and an expected those who worked the system to make it work.
Before this could be done, those who worked the system needed to invent a purpose for the program that they were supposed to make work.
There is a lot more going on than what I can put on this post that led to parts of a class of ship not yet functioning as advertised. It would be interesting to hear the “horror” stories, similar to this, from others.
You can read more details on Business Insider and on Breaking Defense.
Category: Navy
“The Secretary of the Navy assured President Trump that the elevators on the supercarrier would be working… Or the President could fire him.”
The Navy’s birthday is October 13th. Don’t imagine Secretary Spencer will be around then to cut any cakes.
“You’re FIRED!” ~ President Trump
Electromagnetic weapons elevators that don’t work.
— sigh —
Just like with electromagnetic catapults, once again we’re proving that going ‘bigger, faster, funnier’ doesn’t always make things better.
Got to ride an elevator on the Wasp when it visted Boston in the early 60’s. I was a kid. It was a thrill.
Other than that, I got nothin.
I am pro-technology so I am in favor of anything that can give us the edge over our enemies.
But please don’t deploy new shit without properly testing it.
From your lips to DoD senior leadership’s ears.
Sadly, experience has told me it’s not a good idea to hold my breath waiting for senior management to listen. Or to get the word in the first place, for that matter.
Once the “head guy” has endorsed an idea, the person who has to tell him it won’t work is almost always the one who takes the fall. The “fine individual” who sold him a bill of goods almost always avoids blame.
And convincing anyone at DoD outside the T&E community that testing should be a priority – or should get an adequate share of a project’s budget – is pretty much like catching a unicorn. In other words: don’t hold your breath.
FWIW: I spent roughly the last 30 years of my 40+ year millitary and civiian career with DoD in the material developer and T&E communities. It’s the same across the board; every service is the same in that respect. And it’s not only contractors who over-promise and under-deliver – or who ignore those who try to tell them reality is different from the fantasy they’ve already sold to their boss.
Name a service, I’m sure we can all list several examples of the overpromise/underdeliver principle.
Well, elevators do have their ups and downs
I see what you did there, Jeff. Snicker.
Otis Elevator is available with a phone call.
What in the everloving Sam Hell is the Navy doing, letting one of their high dollar mobile Air Base/Aerial Artillery launching platforms leave the plant knowing they may have to have an in warranty service call? What does this class of future razor blades cost per copy? Coupla billion? You’d think for that kind of money, it would at least make it thru the initial test drive.
Understand all about the good fairy riding down on the unicorn. What seems to be a good idea will turn into a bad plan. Every.damn.time. And higher is gonna blame the ones below them as they take their golden parachute and retire to “spend more time with the family.” Grrrrrrr
Couple?
A Virgina-class SSN goes for more than that.
The USS Ford is going to come in at about $14-15B, not including the R&D costs (another $5B).
And no, air wing is not included.
Thanks ‘Sparky, my 10 fell off after the coupla. Knew they were rather spendy, but couldn’t remember the close to price. So with the total package, air wing, personnel ect, drive out 25B +/- ? Floor mats are an option.
This should certainly be an uplifting experience for him?
Why do they always have to reinvent the wheel??
It’s not so much reinvention of the wheel as improvement of it.
Unfortunately, sometimes good ideas on paper (or in the mainframe) don’t translate to reality.
We want to sell you a better elevator for carriers
Ok. Build a few on static display and show us the work better than current, that they have interchangeable parts, are reliable, and that Sailors can make them work. If they are all that, we will likely buy.
Uh… no you buy and we promise they work by the need date.
No. Show don’t tell.
Uh
No.
—–
why is this not how it works? Oh right. We don’t fire the bastards who do things wrong. (In uniform or in Congress)
Exactly the same on this side of the Pacific. We (Navy) are not here to fund your (Mr Contractor) R&D or do your R&D for you.
If I want a “concept” I’ll grab the nearest 3* and go shopping at Warner Bros or George Lucas’s Dreamworks.
I want something that works. My requirements (in the contract) state it must work to X specifications in Y conditions for Z amount of times before it fails (to a known failed state).
So Mr Contractor, fix your shit or the next milestone payment will not be forthcoming and penalties will be sought. You are stealing taxpayers money, not “Govt” money. The govt has no money, it safeguards taxpayers money.
The Okie 3 was commisioned back in 1962 and when I was in A gang, my cleaning and maintenance space was the port aircraft elevator machinery room which ran on cables and a ram. Very low tech and easy to maintain even with all those zerk grease fittings. Don’t fix something that isn’t broken.
Iterative improvements. Stop with the transformational cr@p.Don‘t run basic systems on software when relays can do the trick. In a battle damage situation even an EMFN out of A school can rig casualty power and bypass a relay or two to keep things moving.
Maybe the KOG had it right after all.
Even the “newer” tech I worked with on my first boat (first flight 688) was 20-40 years old, and even the newer stuff on the Virginias isn’t much newer.