Zumwalt Destroyers: Three Next-Generation US Stealth Ships (That Kind of Look Like Ironclads)

[@megaprojects9649]

Thanks to Keeps for sponsoring this video! Go to www.keeps.com/MEGAPROJECTS to get 50% off your first order of Keeps hair loss treatment.

[@zero-c7123]

2 days ago. Hmmmmm

[@bradgriffiths3370]

"Because you're British"... I'd love to see on one of these channels a ZZ Top video ;)

[@jameshoy380]

I like being bald but I liked having hair too.

[@MausMasher54]

The Littoral(how about a video on those??) Ships put the Zumwalt Class out to the dead project bucket too...

[@brett4264]

*Video starts at **1:50*

[@cihper2]

I toured the Zumwalt during my days as a Naval Academy Midshipman back in 2018 at San Diego. The ship was so damn new at the time it didn't have any of the warfighting systems installed (The SPY-3 radar, VLS and the gun system were all physically installed, but a lot of the support equipment and the necessary electronics were not there). There were more civilian contractors walking around the ship than the ship's crew. At the time she had just propulsion and basic navigation capability. All of our phones were confiscated before we entered the ship. When we were touring they told us to be careful because they didn't want to damage the stealth tiles. Someone asked "how much are the stealth tiles?" and they told us 10,000$. These stealth tiles were about printer paper-sized tiles - and the ship was *plastered* with these things. Every inch of the ship, that was not meant for someone to walk on or land helicopters, had stealth tiles attached. The cool part is that whenever she had to sail, with a large radar reflective sheet so that fishing and commercial vessels can see her on radar to lower the risk of collision. They also told us the gun system was useless because it cost 1 million dollars to fire one shot and the Navy was not willing to pay that much money for one round. We ran into other Naval Academy grads on the ship so we stopped talking about the ship after that. Good times.

[@KaiserStormTracking]

And thats why you don't tour a ship with 10K Tiles

[@DCLXV2]

1 million per round, this sounds like a 2nd Russian Pacific Squadron all over again, no gunnery training has consequences

[@jennifercunha2539]

I worked on it very interesting ship

[@rollout1984]

The ship never leaves port.

[@johnbest4513]

Stealth is, was and will always be a stupid idea. Also the AGS was a stupid idea. The Rail gun was a stupid idea. It would have been fer more useful to have better VLS systems where the missiles can be replaced faster. I like larger naval guns as well, but they are made to bombard close to shore, not attack from hundred miles away. As for the rail gun, that's just silly. The US needed better ASuW missiles not rail guns. The whole LCS ship stuff was retarded. Just like the British idea of battle cruisers and monitors in WW1. This is why great empires fall, they fall in love with the new tech and out thinking the room, rather then just building what is cheap and simple and making it more and more proficient. Same goes for army and air force too.

[@AlKohaiMusic]

It looks like a low poly-game model that's suppose to pop in more detail when you get closer. I love it

[@ianhartley395]

I misheard you and thought you said “beard dispensing machines” 😅. Thanks Simon for a particularly entertaining video today!

[@AirWolfAT6]

You should patent that.

[@stinkeyiphone3870]

I heard that too

[@RichO1701e]

To be fair, so did I

[@brandongaines1731]

Makes sense, given that he was like, literally just talking about facial hair lol!

[@jedaaa]

Same 🤣

[@Chalky.]

Us Business Blaze viewers know that sound was actually Danny trying to dig his way out of your basement.

[@iowafarmboy]

He almost made it too.... poor guy.

[@ohnonomorenames]

Us Casual Criminalist viewers know that it was the Spiderman in the attic.

[@jimcappa6815]

Haha yes! As Simon says on some of his other channels, " Its not ghosts. It's never ghosts! "

[@clinkers]

no danny

[@MrXanderAle]

I think you mean the Blazement.

[@SkunkApe407]

Just an FYI, US warship classes are named for the first ship of that design to be commissioned. The USS Nimitz was the first Nimitz Class carrier, the USS Arleigh Burke was the first Arleigh Burke class destroyer, the USS Los Angeles was the first Los Angeles class submarine, and so on. So it stands to reason that the first Zumwaldt class destroyer would be the USS Zumwaldt.

[@KaiserStormTracking]

That means if the Michigan Class were built the first one were be called "USS Michigan

[@SkunkApe407]

@@KaiserStormTracking well, the USS Michigan was a South Carolina Class battleship that was decommissioned 1922. That said, it was the second ship to bear the name. So yeah, if the USN decided to create a new class of warships, they could use the name again.

[@keirfarnum6811]

(Haughty tone of voice): Then how come the NX01 Enterprise wasn’t called the Enterprise Class then? They called it the “NX Class”. Answer that smarty pants! Sorry. Couldn’t help it. 😁. The fact that Star Trek didn’t follow proper class naming conventions on the Enterprise show has always bugged me.

[@SkunkApe407]

@@keirfarnum6811 I'm not a Trek fan, but I can definitely see where that would be annoying af.

[@macuss87]

@@keirfarnum6811 Simple answer... Different government / ruling body, so different naming rules. So there! Gotcha!

[@LBPhotoworks]

Any more sarcasm and the US Navy probably is going to build a ship with the sole purpose to stop Simon :D

[@leholen381]

They’ve spent money for worse reasons

[@erikrick]

Nah. The US Navy is run primarily on caffeine and sarcasm these days.

[@SkunkApe407]

@@erikrick "these days"? I've been out for almost 20 years, and it was that way then. My grandad and both uncles were also Squids, and they said the same thing. We had to find something when they got rid of daily rations of beer and rum.

[@megaprojects9649]

I AM READY

[@davet80000]

its ok, it will be three times the set budget and 10 years late. he will retire long before then lol

[@beagleuk3233]

That noise at the start was Danny & Sam trying to escape from the Blazement, that's why Simon got up so fast

[@everettperry809]

I work at BIW currently, you are absolutely right in saying that some of the technology from the zumwalt class will be used in future ships. Considering they're already making plans due to its performance capabilities.

[@Lord_Shadowz]

Actually the Zumwalts 155 guns might be firing the army’s new 155 hyper velocity shell. This shell can be updated in flight with course corrections or to even change a target if the ship orders it. The shell has a very long range. It could be used against land or sea targets. Until railgun tech gets matured this would be the best solution.

[@RohanSingh-zc4bm]

That explains the costs

[@Flameancer]

That sounds insane to me. A ship so advanced it’s optimal weapons systems haven’t made it to production yet.

[@swlak516]

Isn't that just a missile at that point?

[@ignitionfrn2223]

3:20 - Chapter 1 - The Zumwalt Class 4:40 - Chapter 2 - Surface combatant for the 21st century 6:20 - Chapter 3 - Zumwalt development 8:40 - Chapter 4 - Construction 10:40 - Chapter 5 - Design 13:30 - Chapter 6 - Power 14:35 - Chapter 7 - Dead on arrival - Chapter 8 -

[@davyboy9397]

Bless you

[@d4nial]

My uncle (R.I.P.) worked on the Zumwalt at B.I.W. in Maine. My favorite story he wasn't supposed to tell anyone was that when they first brought it to Maine from Virginia, some of the metal beams in the ship were poorly constructed and warped once they hit the colder temperatures, which caused doors that were open to not be able to close, or doors that were closed to not be able to open. Pretty sure that alone cost millions to fix! 😂

[@snjert8406]

Ah yes, top-notch engineering hahahaha

[@everettperry809]

I work at biw now, those things are a metric nightmare for any shipbuilders that weren't military.

[@bothellkenmore]

It's sad that happened. F-35, Zumwalt, not sure what's happening with some of the stuff we've been making.

[@TotalDrganMania]

@@bothellkenmore its all because of a lack of competition with military contractors

[@Hawthorneeffect1]

The deck house for ddg1000 and 1001 were built in Gulfport, Mississippi by Ingalls shipbuilding.

[@tyroberts2261]

‘ The US government loves spending money.’ Too, too true.

[@Farweasel]

Plus I saw boat with a hull much like that ages ago. Mind you, it was upside down.

[@sulate1]

Except on health and education

[@Mrsmirfinstien]

I’m literally watch this from the hanger bay on the 1001

[@Omegatonboom]

Is it nice there?

[@WhippperSnaperater]

@@Omegatonboom that's classified

[@paxamericania5923]

Madlad

[@petermoorhouse2444]

Target Acquired

[@therocinante3443]

Man that's awesome

[@skyfever111]

simon so badass he just up and goes looking for the ghost

[@TylerStewart69]

He was just checking to make sure Danny and Sam were still chained up in the basement...

[@vicjr.1813]

@@TylerStewart69 how many are they working on the channels? I'm curious to know because all I see is simon

[@TylerStewart69]

@@vicjr.1813 you must not be a legend eh? its an inside joke from Business Blaze, the best of Simons many, many KZbin channles

[@johnnymittens77]

I like that more and more 'Business Blaze Simon' is creeping into non Business Blaze content

[@its_a_trap2101]

As always, Simon’s business blaze persona is creeping into other content... ‘allegedly’

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Sometimes when watching his channels I forget I’m not watching BB

[@Johnny_Shields]

I'm not. I like my insanity to be contained in the asylum.

[@TheMelbournelad]

Agreed. It’s slow but steady. Maybe covid lock down is getting to him.

[@Hugin-N-Munin]

Nah, Simon just forgets which channel he's shooting for, and ends up acting the same for all his videos

[@adambielen8996]

Designing a new shell to fire out of an existing cannon is far easier than designing a new cannon. So I can see why they kept the guns. I also got to see the Zumwalt getting built which was pretty cool. It is kinda surreal to see a ship that defies all modern ship design aesthetics.

[@thenarrator869]

Built in Bath Maine. My home town. My father was a designer on these. They were originally called the DDX. I watched the first go on its first sea trials. I have pics of it passing fort popham. My uncle was on board. Massive ship.

[@ivanyoung6506]

I remember heading down the coast to see it leave bath on its first round of testing

[@Rangifulla]

I feel the Blaze creeping in, He'll be slapping scripts next

[@benjaminchristianhay]

Can't wait for introductions twice as long as the rest of the video =]

[@ex-navyspook]

@@benjaminchristianhay ...or for, "It's your boi with the Mega Projects!"

[@DavidInMonroe318]

Definitely is

[@tombstone1055]

The thing is, they were built to be modular so they could have multiple roles, but none of the modular components were built to be compatible with each other, both with basics like powering and systems talking to each other

[@F14thunderhawk]

thats the LCS program, not the Zumwalts

[@soco13466]

I was in the Navy during the Zumwalt years. The beer machine had about 4 brands, and a quarter was the price. Now that was one of the best policies ever. Where else could you get a beer, no hassle, that cheap?

[@seifer918]

Now that you covered the Zumwalt, seems like LCS is next.

[@erikrick]

Goodness yes... The ship looking for a mission... Such a... class act?

[@davidosaje4100]

Or Project Pluto and the SLAM missile

[@josephernest91]

I scrolled the comments hoping someone else mentioned the cluster fuck that is the LCS platform

[@slycatsylvester5917]

Omg finally! I work at BIW and have worked on the Zumwalt! Its so crazy to see my Hometown shown by my favorite youtuber!

[@t.j.payeur5331]

I remember being in a tobacco store in Brunswick reading that the Zumwalt had made it back from it's first sea trials and we all rejoiced that it hadn't gone down with all hands...

[@Tinfoil_is_the_new_black]

So. Fun fact. I met one of the engineers that designed the powerplant layout of the ship. His last name is picard. 100% serious. He's a cool dude.

[@spritemon98]

Cool

[@wibb20000]

Nice I bet he's a clever man

[@Omegatonboom]

Cant trust a former borg! gaahh! lol jk.

[@stefanopetracca72]

There you have the actual beginning of the dynasty

[@Ross6041]

so the project has a Picard (Designer), and a Kirk( one of the captains). Crazy.

[@jameswatters2012]

I hope that Captain Kirk called his chief medical officer Bones and his chief engineer Scotty. Maybe pushing it a little bit to call his first officer Spock. 😂

[@tncorgi92]

I give the guy credit for owning that name, I can only imagine the good-natured ribbing he gets. I hope that, like the fictional Captain Kirk, he eventually makes it to admiral.

[@theenzoferrari458]

Spock is XO.

[@minimalbstolerance8113]

I would love it if he's eventually assigned as captain of the new USS Enterprise (CVN-80) when it enters service, but that might be a bit too precious for the naval top brass...

[@efulmer8675]

@@minimalbstolerance8113 They might give "Captain Kirk" a stint on it, or give him its maiden voyage or something for the PR, but we'll see.

[@razvantraian5003]

After listening to all The Casual Criminalist episodes... you know what is that sound 🤣🤣 Check the room for the unwanted tenant

[@skyfever111]

its just danny in the basement

[@michaelb1761]

I wonder if the sound was coming from the room he never uses any more. He said that it was right next to his office.

[@megaprojects9649]

fuck all this. I actually am afraid of rooms that I don't go into much these days.

[@skyfever111]

@@megaprojects9649 its ok simon, cocaine causes anxiety we all know this

[@dudepool7530]

I already told him, the unused office is mine. HEY SIMON, PUT MY BULLWHIP BACK! The zebra sex mask has been useful btw.

[@fl00fydragon]

1:10 "It's too late for that, my hair isn't coming back" Biotechnology: Challenge accepted.

[@Belenus3080]

Yeah but transplant surgery is still thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands

[@fl00fydragon]

@@Belenus3080 You are just pointing out that our primitive socioeconomic system is not designed to adapt to technology. If something that simple is beyond reach for most then imagine how things would get if we allow a pay wall to determine the upcoming technological phase of capability expansion and life extension. Basically we got to invent new economics or we'll devolve back into feudalism.

[@Belenus3080]

@@fl00fydragon you got a better solution?

[@fl00fydragon]

@@Belenus3080 Decentralized post monetary economics. Use statistics and logistics algorithms instead of the Neolithic monetary system. Will it work? Is the universe mathematical in nature? If the answer is yes, and last time I checked it is, then it will work.

[@fl00fydragon]

@@SF-tb4kb Post monetary economics do not neccesitate a return to primitive bartering. Especially in a digital era, networking is the key here. Keep in mind, trade is nowhere near the end point of economic organization. Also, since you brought up farming. Production should move to hydroponics and aquaponics. A lot of production in very little land.

[@IAmTheAce5]

Timaeus, Hermos, and Critias- if there’s only 3 ships, then they should be named fitting their mythical status

[@MrChickennugget360]

they were destroyers and Destroyers are named after decorated veterans historically. with the lead ship in the class always nammed after an admiral. Zumwalt, Arliegh Burke, Spruance, Charels F. Adams, Grearing, Fletcher Benson, Clemson, Bainbridge, Oliver Hazard Perry- all are Admirals or equivlent.

[@SelfProclaimedEmperor]

The Zumwalt class destroyers look really cool, and have the displacement of a very large cruiser.

[@snjert8406]

The puns are strong in this episode. I love it.

[@efulmer8675]

That moment after the first pun when he saw the opportunity for the second pun... priceless.

[@KhanAitmatov2033]

I've been studding up on these boats for weeks, then you make this video with all the info I need

[@joker-sh5hv]

You weren’t afraid, our boi with the blaze doesn’t believe in ghosts

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Allegedly

[@skyden24195]

Don't let Simon fool you, he puts on a front.

[@Cliff_Dixon_42]

One thing that should be mentioned (maybe I missed it): reduced crew compliment. The Arleigh Burke destroyers typically had a crew compliment of around 280 personnel (for the early Flight ships) to 380 (later Flight ships). The crew compliment on the Zumwalt-class destroyers: around 140. IIRC, when planning for DD 21 was going on (NOT my department), the intent was to have even FEWER crew members on board.

[@johnurbanski8486]

You should do a video on the Littoral Class Ships. They are also a very new design for warships and they are definitely worth a video. They use newer cutting edge designs and have the ability to change their mission sets for whatever set they need to meet at the time. They can be changed out and then put back into the water in under a week.

[@DBExplorer]

that was the *theory*...results were...diffrent sadly. Reason why the USN decided to go with a new FFG class.

[@thedungeondelver]

@@DBExplorer Yeah, the LCS' are on the verge of being scrapped.

[@HingerlAlois]

The Littoral Combat Ships are lousy, that’s why the Navy is buying new frigates which are decent surface combatants...

[@andrewmueller3391]

You had way to much fun with this video. I love the ship, and it is sad that they are too ahead of schedule. Someday they'll do great.

[@vsGoliath96]

"The navy had balked at the rising costs." Well that doesn't seem very American of them...

[@masamune2984]

That was the single most entertaining sponsor ad ever. And to think we got a bonus video attached to it 🙂

[@jaymzx0]

I love how the ships come with accessories. You get a real helicopter and drones!

[@Evocatorum]

@Simon The LaWS (Laser Weapon System) is already fitted and in service aboard the USS Portland. It was originally installed for testing, but has since been deemed fully operational with the Captain able to use the system at his discretion.

[@danielsummey4144]

Just to be clear… The shells weren’t actually $1m. The Navy faced pressure from the Bush administration for the reason you stated (politics) and were having trouble integrating all the advanced new technology. The program was still chugging along, though. What happened is, as they were delayed, Congress cancelled ships. They went from 32 ships down to 16. That ruined the economies of scale for the shells and drove the prices up. That led to more ship cancellations which spiraled to the $1m shell. The USN is actually planning on removing the guns to mount hypersonic missiles, so they’ve still got a mission.

[@jackryan4313]

I remember the store of Monsoor. A man's man. And gods gift to his team. Rest In Peace

[@kevinwilson140]

It really feels like we're at the limit of what we can do with weapons when you look at these huge projects like the f-35 and this. To make any significant improvement over existing weapons it takes truckloads of money and they don't even end up working. We've made the most effective weapons that are possible with our level of technology.

[@kdrapertrucker]

When you work at the bleeding edge of technology things rarely work right. Because you are basically inventing the technology and writing the book on it at the same time.

[@JoshuaTootell]

There are countless projects you have never heard because the tech wasn't ready, or already behind before they would get built. This is nothing new.

[@johnbrazier2272]

They are beautiful ships. And I'm pretty sure that the second picture had the Admiral - and Grace Hopper, a great lady and the mother of COBOL.

[@thomaslinton5765]

Another year from the death of the Zumwalts and this video still remains as a lesson.

[@SelfProclaimedEmperor]

The Zumwalts are not dead...we have 3 and will equipping them with hypersonic missiles to be long range ship killers.

[@rydplrs71]

I drive by the shipyard where these are built every few months. It’s amazing how slow the builds are compare to the arlie Burke class.

[@sirflaps7619]

How can you be sad about your hair with such a glorious beard treated with beard blaze

[@megaprojects9649]

IMAGINE BOTH

[@dudepool7530]

Simon secretly wants to be a Grease cast member lmao.

[@AirWolfAT6]

@@megaprojects9649 you would look like a member of Fleetwood Mac.

[@Just-A-Random-Aussie]

The snowy hydro electric scheme in Australia would make a great megaproject 👍

[@spirevr8907]

2 uploads in the span of 3 days?? Is this a blessing from the lord?

[@citizenblue]

Danny is working his ass off in that basement

[@matthewdopler8997]

Oliver Guinerteau wrote the script. Could Danny have a new roommate?

[@DareDevilDave75]

I did carbon fiber work on the Helo hangers of the first two at Huntington Ingalls in Gulfport MS. Truly awesome experience.

[@michaelhowell2326]

Simon, you have the most underused book shelf in the history of book shelves.

[@vicjr.1813]

that's because it's a side-projects worthy content!

[@ImtihanAhmed]

Quality over quantity?

[@megaprojects9649]

I ate all the books to feed my big brain

[@BigGroupHug]

It's a green screen buddy

[@TheCorpsehatch]

The Blaze is strong with this episode of Megaprojects. Legend.

[@zafarsyed6437]

DISCLAIMER- FIRST MINUTE OF THIS EPISODE: When the Bus Blaze and Casual Criminalist wander during studio time reserved for Megaprojects...

[@Overlord3420]

I saw one of these in the Chesapeake bay while I was crossing it, I couldn’t stop staring as I didn’t even know we had them at the time, one cool ass ship to see in person

[@annalisamanderville1364]

I think Simon might still be freaked out by the Theodore Edward Coneys episode of The Casual Criminalist, checking the other room to make sure no one has been living there.

[@megaprojects9649]

This is not a joke. I actually am. I was lying in bed the other night and I was like "NO, I AM NOT GETTING OUT OF BED AND CHECKING THE ATTIC"

[@boonemixer-bailey273]

I got to go on one of these zumwalt ships a few years ago, by far one of the coolest things I’ve gotten to do.

[@blurglide]

Gun shells that cost almost as much as a cruise missile. I think they're missing the point of "guns"

[@live2ride18]

From Ar-15’s up. Nail on the head.

[@humility-righteous-giving]

the whole thing is crazy, even cruise missles costing a million is crazy, its all these bureaucracies that inflate these prices to suck a crazy level

[@ATomRileyA]

They would have been cheaper per unit but they did not order as many ships iirc so the price went up, still everything for the military is purposely overpriced must be great to get one of those contracts.

[@joealbright7125]

Can we get Simon as the permanent narrator on history channel, along with his commentary and cheeky banter?

[@fabiandieziger2714]

That intro was epic. I was looking the background to see if it was Danny or Sam trying to escape the basement or if the infidels finally dug trough the wall.

[@TheEarl777]

Cheers Simon. Not only informative but entertaining as well.

[@leviacree4533]

I worked on the VLS system on these. They are insane ships.

[@KickAndDestroy]

Very lesbian sex system?

[@leviacree4533]

@@KickAndDestroy vertical launch system. It's the section of the ship that stores and fires all the missiles

[@wowspewpewm1532]

@@leviacree4533 yup very adavanced ships

[@edwinwise6751]

Whenever you hear Raytheon , Litton , Grumman or Rockwell , get ready to piss some serious money away on projects like this

[@nothingtoseaheardammit]

I was walking my dogs on the Eastern Promenade of Portland in December when the first one of these rolled into Casco Bay. It popped out of the fog around Fort Gorges and I was in awe. It's an amazing machine (sure should be for its price). Some uninformed Karens nearby were freaking out - wondering what it was.... I managed to calm them down and told them that it was one of ours :)

[@orneryokinawan4529]

I wouldn't have. I would have said it was china. Lol

[@tinafoster8665]

Best KZbin story ever ❤️ n glad you calmed down the unknowing, you could have made it seem like it was a visitor from another planet and it's good that you didn't do that kudos ❤️

[@tinafoster8665]

@@orneryokinawan4529 that's evil but funny ❤️

[@stephenlane9168]

Simon, I love it, a Brit who lives in mainland Europe and makes videos mainly about American Technologies and culture. Oh the Irony! I love all your videos Simon on all channels. The amount of Time I spend watching KZbin - shocking!

[@FreshwaterNautical]

Back again Simon. Mackinac Bridge! Michiganders lets get it rolling!

[@feartheamish9183]

As an ohioan.... no

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

I was just looking up information & pictures of the bridge yesterday! I was watching the Ken Burns Ernest Hemingway series on PBS & all the talk of Hemingway’s youthful summers spent at Lake Walloon, just outside Petosky, got me very nostalgic for Michigan. I’m currently in Tucson, but I lived in Kalamazoo & Detroit from ‘86-‘05. I’d love to see a mega projects episode on the bridge. It was one hell of an undertaking!

[@davidmoore8741]

Been saying this for a while

[@erikrick]

Yup that and/or Willow Run... And the Detroit Auto Industry... and maybe Motown... Breakfast cereal... Techno music... The Masonic? Oooh yeah! The Masonic would get lots of views because... you know... Masons.

[@davidmoore8741]

@@erikrick been all over the Masonic temple, worked there for years. Super cool building

[@mnorth1351]

That was certainly the most entertaining ad for Keeps I have seen!

[@lisaward1243]

u should do a video on the soviet trip to venus

[@SpicyTrifongo]

cheers to the editor who lined up the cymbal crashes in teh background music.

[@Zyme86]

The per unit cost is deceptive, the cost for the weapons (1mil usd/unit) would have dropped dramatically if full rollout occured, the main issue this didnt happen was the decision to stay with missile tech instead of smart direct-able gun tech.

[@gladlawson61]

Simon bro. You've heard of the Oscar's. That's a bald award. The top shelf of awards. Not so bad.

[@KPearce57]

Live long, and Prosper .

[@Hawthorneeffect1]

I was a foreman at the company that helped build the first 2 deck houses for these ships. Very interesting concept

[@t3ck3r]

I worked at Bath and helped install them.It's a good design, but the Navy turned it into a Swish Army Knife. Just too much new untested stuff.

[@Hawthorneeffect1]

@@t3ck3r I agree 100%.

[@jcrawford5569]

the US Govt loves spending money*. *the US Govt loves spending money on anything but it’s people-

[@tncorgi92]

Well, corporations are people too, right?

[@elias_xp95]

I'll take what are food stamps for $100 please Alex

[@livethefuture2492]

the military is people, more specifically and more relevant for politicians is the particular people who have jobs in their district.

[@cuddlesandkafka]

@@Totttty55 false

[@masamune2984]

I’ve been binging Seinfeld, so I decided to take a break from it, and watch some KZbin instead, so of course I clicked on a new Mega Projects video. So much for that Seinfeld break 🙂

[@indowneastmaine]

At least you weren't on the Andrea Doria.

[@lordhorus01]

It hurts me that the first ship wasn't named the enterprise with such an amazing Captain name.

[@robertgarrett5009]

You need to do an episode on NASA's Exploration Ground Systems. This includes the VAB, 2 Crawlers, two mobile launchers (both the size of skyscrapers) a massive crawl way and several launch pads. Never mind all the other parts NASA ground systems incorporates.

[@thayrathyn]

SIMON, I AM WAITING! :) I once commented with these suggestions and you told me I would see some soon! ;) Trbovlje Power Station: The Tallest Chimney in Europe (read as: terbowlye) Slovene Karst: The Region That Gave the Karst Phenomena its Name Predjama Castle: A Castle in a Cave (read as: predyama) The Soča River: The Emerald River that Ran Red During WWI (read as: socha) Maribor: City with the Oldest Vine in the World Franja Hospital: Secret WWII Mountain Hospital that Nazis Never Found (read as: franya)

[@thayrathyn]

@@SamlSchulze1104 How do you know I don't?

[@carstenhansen5757]

It's so stealthy, there is a good chance, there is one RIGHT behind you, right now.

[@dulio12385]

I think the 2000s can be called "The era where the Navy went crazy."

[@FallenPhoenix86]

They over reached with high end systems to the point that much of it never happened, and what did generally didn't pan out as intended. Going back to the 90's: A-12 - cancelled NATF - cancelled F-35C - an abomination DD-21 - fudged into he Zumwalt The LCS - a bit of a farce Ongoing problems with the Ford class. The only thing they really got right was the Super Hornet... and it was deliberately designed not to be a revolutionary leap forward.

[@McCillian]

Should really do a video on the thrust ssc speed car.. or even a video on them in general

[@markdawson8583]

I'm sure I saw a few weeks ago that they're laying up 2 of the Zumwalts.

[@buddystewart2020]

Absolutely not true. You might be getting it confused with the LCS, which are going to have the first 2 of each design, i.e. Independence and Freedom, decom'd. These were more or less experimental ships that didn't get some of the upgrades follow on members of their respective classes received.

[@puellamservumaddominum6180]

No are spending billions to gut and add 12 hyper sonic missles to each in hopes to make it less useless or say this ship was not a waste if money

[@CMTechnica]

They ceased production on the project years ago in favor of more Arleigh Burke class DDs

[@Poctyk]

Maybe you are thinking of new "Constellation" class

[@Darts2116]

Admiral Zumwalt did everything’s could for the fighting men he commanded. One of which was his Son. He truly cared about the American’s Fighting in Vietnam. He ordered the use of agent Orange and his son ultimately died at 42 from cancer. Tragic he had the troops in mind when he ordered its use.

[@BusterBuizel]

You know, if they made a battleship version of this thing I think a good name for it is the Eminent Domain

[@holobolo1661]

Excellent awareness about 90s stability being primarily a western experience and the banking regulation leading to GFC etc. Thank you for mentioning all of that, I wish more presenters would give that overarching context to viewers.

[@michaelkaylor6770]

Just imagine being a CCP type 55 getting a little close to Taiwan, when off your port stern one of these just pops out of the fog...with Rail-guns and Photon torpedos!

[@fred4089]

Lazer beams.

[@SelfProclaimedEmperor]

And Hypersonic missiles...which the zumwalts will also have lol

[@bushwackcreek]

In 1978 I was a Quartermaster aboard a WWII vintage Coast Guard buoy tender in Southeast Alaska. We were heading back North to our home port of Juneau at night when our primary radar was covered with "pecker tracks"... which meant either a snow storm or someone was in the area with a more powerful radar. I switched to our other radar, which was the type found on most fishing boats and spotted a contact moving through the islands to our southwest. We knew that the Canadian Destroyer Mackenzie was scheduled for a port visit in Juneau in the next few days and the returns on the scope indicated a large ship. If it was her, she was cruising blacked out in violation of the Rules of the Road... I informed the Officer of the Deck and grabbed the mike for the bridge-to-bridge radio. "Destroyer Mackenzie, I hold you at position ... in violation of the Inland Rules of the Road... request you turn on your running lights." A couple of seconds later, the Destroyer turned on her running lights and we both proceeded up to Juneau. We were a 35 year old ship, being tracked by a modern destroyer, and we'd gotten the best of them, but would have been sunk in an engagement. Later that night, we had to give up our normal berth to the Mackenzie and moor at the fuel pier a mile away. Standing watch on the bridge in port, a petty officer from the Mackenzie came aboard and demanded to know how we!!! a mere Coast Guard cutter had detected them... Very simple I replied: We knew you might be in the area and your Surface Search Radar was crazing our navigation radar. Fortunately for us... Our AN SPS-64 and 66 Radars operated on different wavelengths, otherwise, we'd never had known.

[@jamesgrady990]

Ha yes I did get a hit off that trek reference 😂😂 Live long and prospre

[@bent3084]

Now this is a mega project! Well done Simon!

[@darkjudge8786]

As an ex-infantry officer I can confirm that you never give the Navy or Airforce any money. They waste it on cool looking stuff that doesn't end up doing its primary task. To support the infantry.

[@mbryson2899]

The Army has affordable, effective procurement down to a science. Just look at the Sgt. York AAA system.

[@jalan8171]

Here's to boots on the ground. At the rate the Joe China admin is going, our troops will be stripped of their boots.

[@rikulappi9664]

Give the money to the Swedish Navy to go shopping for the US military. Sweden started Visby-class stealth corvette project 1995. First of the planned six ships left port in 2000. They built just 5 ships to avoid a budget overrun. Total project cost 190 million USD/stealth ship, delivery on schedule!

[@TerryTerius]

@@jalan8171 republicans say that with literally every single Democratic presidency, but the actual historical numbers we have had dor defense spending throughout time do not back up this argument. Like this isn’t an opinion, it’s just objectively a false narrative. Defense spending hasn’t changed all that much under multiple Democratic and Republican presidents now, and has been decreased or raised by both Democratic and Republican presidents. This is pure political tribalism.

[@leedully8123]

At least they are fighting to keep the A-10 going!

[@Jasx_501]

I'm liking the added energy here

[@pamelamays4186]

Ah Simon, you snuck in a little Blazing! That sound you heard was obviously Danny escaping from the dungeon, I mean, basement.

[@johnbella2422]

i''ve been fangirling so hard for this ship class since high school

[@itsjustrobby]

Eva Unit 02 pops out of one of them and we suddenly know why they need the power reserves.

[@cattibingo]

A cruel navy's thesis

[@snjert8406]

I knew it!

[@KaiserStormTracking]

@@cattibingo Like a Cruel Navy and its merciless intent Rise young battleship and become a legend!!!

[@gustafgoransson5026]

I love your videos and differet channels Simon. Keep up the good work.

[@Bearak_]

Pro-tip for you, Simon...and a LOT of other KZbinrs I see making the same sort of slip - It's not "'Emm Kay' 57 Vertical Launching System". "Mk" is an abbreviation for "Mark" (which is basically military lingo for "version"), and is said exactly that way; "Mark 57 Vertical Launch System"...or, honestly, more commonly as "Mark 57 VLS".

[@keirfarnum6811]

This! I hate when they say “em-kay” instead of “mark”.

[@Bearak_]

@@keirfarnum6811 The hilarious thing about it is that Simon being Simon, first says "Em Kay 57", then turns around not even 15 seconds later and talks about the next system (I forget what it was now and don't feel like watching through the video again) and refers to that one properly as "Mark [whatever]".

[@dxbmick]

We need to reduce a four letter word to two letter abbreviation? Or should l just ab..

[@jameswyre6480]

Excellent show again! I am just impressed that Zumwalt was such a badass that the navy had to design a ship specifically to destroy him and needed more than one. Impressive as Darth would say.

[@greatblakes]

"Each generator pumps out 34.5 megawatts of power..." Nice.

[@jcarlile8279]

I’m watching a video of a ship but I’m excited over the COD at 16:24. Spent many a years flying in those beautiful babies.

[@FabieJeanne]

Danny's trying to escape the basement

[@darcygerrard4899]

Wish this guy was my teacher at school. I would have more than likely stayed awake through lessons!!!

[@Nvccrunner]

Hey Simon. Any chance we can get a mega projects on coral castle?