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$7.5 billion Zumwalt Destroyer needs new engine despite only a few months of use

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One of two operating Zumwalt Destroyer will need to have a main turbine engine replaced.

They completed acceptance trials in February, and the Navy accepted partial delivery of the ship in April.

It is taking over six months to replace the engine because a special rail system is needed to remove the engine and put in a new one. The system to enable engine replacement had not been designed when the Navy realized it needed one. Engineers had to finish the design and then install the system.

The Rolls-Royce MT30 engine costs $20-million.

The US will build a total of 3 Zumwalt destroyers for about $22.5 billion. The third one is being finished now and will start sea trials in 2019. On average the Zumwalt destroyers cost $7.5 billion.

82 thoughts on “$7.5 billion Zumwalt Destroyer needs new engine despite only a few months of use”

  1. $7.5 billion!? I’m sure a Zumwalt could be built for 1/10th the cost. Maybe Navy ship construction should be open for the commercial sector to compete for contracts too.

  2. $7.5 billion!? I’m sure a Zumwalt could be built for 1/10th the cost. Maybe Navy ship construction should be open for the commercial sector to compete for contracts too.

  5. Particularly likely for accidents to happen when this first crew is literally still in the process of WRITING the manuals for the Zumwalts routine maintenance proceedures!

  6. Particularly likely for accidents to happen when this first crew is literally still in the process of WRITING the manuals for the Zumwalts routine maintenance proceedures!

  9. Looks like I’m the first commentator to follow the link and read the article. The turbine blades are damaged, cause of damage has not been determined. Navy will pay for the replacement rail system and pulling the engine. Once root cause is established, Navy has the option of going after Rolls Royce to recoup engine costs. Note that sailors have been known to break things by not following the proper procedures, so I won’t money on what the root cause is – manufacturing defect or foreign object damage are my leading contenders. Main engine repair is a non-trivial challenge, as the ships are designed and built around them. Throw in that these are not off the shelf commercial machinery; rather warship engines have very low production volumes, require precise tolerance of machining and only have a handful of manufacturers in the world – costs soar quickly. Just getting parts out of the hole to be repaired can be a challenge.

  10. Looks like I’m the first commentator to follow the link and read the article. The turbine blades are damaged cause of damage has not been determined. Navy will pay for the replacement rail system and pulling the engine. Once root cause is established Navy has the option of going after Rolls Royce to recoup engine costs.Note that sailors have been known to break things by not following the proper procedures so I won’t money on what the root cause is – manufacturing defect or foreign object damage are my leading contenders.Main engine repair is a non-trivial challenge as the ships are designed and built around them. Throw in that these are not off the shelf commercial machinery; rather warship engines have very low production volumes require precise tolerance of machining and only have a handful of manufacturers in the world – costs soar quickly. Just getting parts out of the hole to be repaired can be a challenge.

  11. What a joke, this bill should be footed by Rolls-Royce. Bath Iron Works also should take a hit, since they designed and built it, apparently thinking an engine would never ever fail. WTH?

  12. What a joke this bill should be footed by Rolls-Royce. Bath Iron Works also should take a hit since they designed and built it apparently thinking an engine would never ever fail. WTH?

  13. When incompetence is everywhere…The last 15 years of ship building have been garbage. Should have never gotten rid of our ship designers and gone commercial. So I am assuming that Rolls-Royce or the ship build is paying for this right?…RIGHT.

  14. When incompetence is everywhere…The last 15 years of ship building have been garbage. Should have never gotten rid of our ship designers and gone commercial.So I am assuming that Rolls-Royce or the ship build is paying for this right?…RIGHT.

  16. My neighbor bought new furniture on one of those 90 days same as cash deals, only it took them 2 years to pay it off. They put it all in storage, because it was so expensive they didnt want to use it until it was paid for.

  18. The engine manufacturer should have provided all necessary documentation, if the Navy was competent enough to specify that in the contracts that is.

  20. Short answer is they have to amortize all the development costs across the 3 hulls they’re actually building, rather than the originally planned 32 hulls. Of the 22.5 billion cost for 3 hulls, 9.6 billion is R&D cost. The actual per-hull cost is 4.3 billion. Total amortized cost if they’re built all 32 would have been 4.6 billion at the current cost schedule (realistically, it would have been somewhere between 2.5-3 billion due to non-R&D tooling costs whiech are front-loaded)

  21. The Gerald Ford, the first of a new class of 100,000 dwt nuclear powered aircraft carriers cost, I believe, some 13 billion all-in. How can two Zumwalt’s cost more than an aircraft carrier? It must be the most expensive warship ever built on a per ton basis. Please tell us its capabilities. They must be devastating.

  22. If we’e on the Trump train we should be curbing the outrageous cost of privater contractor fees for government contracts. I took a Gum’t vehicle in to a place that does oil changes and such and it cost $XXX. I took my private vehicle to them for the exact same service and it was $XX. They can see the big gum’t pocket book coming. And the contractors doing it don’t want you to know!

  24. My neighbor bought new furniture on one of those 90 days same as cash deals only it took them 2 years to pay it off. They put it all in storage because it was so expensive they didnt want to use it until it was paid for.

  26. The engine manufacturer should have provided all necessary documentation if the Navy was competent enough to specify that in the contracts that is.

  28. Short answer is they have to amortize all the development costs across the 3 hulls they’re actually building rather than the originally planned 32 hulls.Of the 22.5 billion cost for 3 hulls 9.6 billion is R&D cost. The actual per-hull cost is 4.3 billion. Total amortized cost if they’re built all 32 would have been 4.6 billion at the current cost schedule (realistically it would have been somewhere between 2.5-3 billion due to non-R&D tooling costs whiech are front-loaded)

  29. The Gerald Ford the first of a new class of 100000 dwt nuclear powered aircraft carriers cost I believe some 13 billion all-in. How can two Zumwalt’s cost more than an aircraft carrier? It must be the most expensive warship ever built on a per ton basis. Please tell us its capabilities. They must be devastating.

  30. This is supposed to be a WARSHIP for gods sake, and be able to sustain direct fire hits and still operate. Just look at that gas turbine! Fragile is to nice a word. The engine design may be powerful, start up quickly and be light weight, but if it gets knocked out by a “close but missed” weapon, it;s functionally useless. I can’t post a picture of a nuclear submarine power plant because they are all classified, but it was designed to take a pounding at 900 meters depth and still function. We already had this PROVEN design, why not reuse it for the Zumwalt and you would get unlimited range, existing know how on how to repair it, proven reliability and almost 100% guaranteed to be cheaper overall. Govt. (and Military contracting) just makes me sick with the decisions they make with the unwanted assistance of home town politicians who all want a piece of the action.

  32. This is what happens when you skip the testing phases. The last 20 years of American Naval ship building have been a disaster. Only thing as bad has been our aerospace projects like the F-35.

  33. Every contractor of every size, from Boeing down to Joe the Plumber Inc. dreams of getting government contracts. Because government bureaucrats are much more stupid, lazy, ignorant and dishonest than private sector managers. They’ll buy your product for truly stupid prices. Why? Because of the perverse incentives. Bureaucrats don’t get fired for horrendous financial misjudgement. The more money they spend, the more they can claim to need pay and perk increases, because they are “responsible” for handling so much money. Ah well, it’s immoral to let a sucker keep his money, and the voters are suckers, so I’m going to keep chasing the dream of renting some of my property to the government for 5 times its normal rental value.

  35. If we’e on the Trump train, we should be curbing the outrageous cost of privater contractor fees for government contracts. I took a Gum’t vehicle in to a place that does oil changes and such and it cost $XXX. I took my private vehicle to them for the exact same service, and it was $XX. They can see the big gum’t pocket book coming. And the contractors doing it don’t want you to know!

  36. This is supposed to be a WARSHIP for gods sake and be able to sustain direct fire hits and still operate. Just look at that gas turbine! Fragile is to nice a word. The engine design may be powerful start up quickly and be light weight but if it gets knocked out by a close but missed”” weapon”” it;s functionally useless. I can’t post a picture of a nuclear submarine power plant because they are all classified but it was designed to take a pounding at 900 meters depth and still function. We already had this PROVEN design why not reuse it for the Zumwalt and you would get unlimited range existing know how on how to repair it”” proven reliability and almost 100{22800fc54956079738b58e74e4dcd846757aa319aad70fcf90c97a58f3119a12} guaranteed to be cheaper overall. Govt. (and Military contracting) just makes me sick with the decisions they make with the unwanted assistance of home town politicians who all want a piece of the action.”””

  38. This is what happens when you skip the testing phases. The last 20 years of American Naval ship building have been a disaster. Only thing as bad has been our aerospace projects like the F-35.

  39. Every contractor of every size from Boeing down to Joe the Plumber Inc. dreams of getting government contracts. Because government bureaucrats are much more stupid lazy ignorant and dishonest than private sector managers. They’ll buy your product for truly stupid prices.Why? Because of the perverse incentives. Bureaucrats don’t get fired for horrendous financial misjudgement. The more money they spend the more they can claim to need pay and perk increases because they are responsible”” for handling so much money.Ah well”” it’s immoral to let a sucker keep his money and the voters are suckers”” so I’m going to keep chasing the dream of renting some of my property to the government for 5 times its normal rental value.”””

  41. engines come and go…but the Social Justice Warrior crew is still there; so, “stealthy destroyer”, beware 8-knot merchant vessels, drifting garbage scows, and discarded cat boxes.

  42. Yeah, you’d think they would have a spare on hand for that price. Maybe the Navy can’t find it under those crates of $10K toilet seats.

  43. engines come and go…butthe Social Justice Warrior crew is still there; so stealthy destroyer””” beware 8-knot merchant vessels drifting garbage scows””and discarded cat boxes.”””

  44. Yeah you’d think they would have a spare on hand for that price. Maybe the Navy can’t find it under those crates of $10K toilet seats.

  47. Well that’s no surprise – the rolls royce turbines in the royal navies Type 45 destroyers can’t work in warm waters (ie anything warmer than portsmouth harbour) so RR have form in regards to naval turbines (recently)

  48. Well that’s no surprise – the rolls royce turbines in the royal navies Type 45 destroyers can’t work in warm waters (ie anything warmer than portsmouth harbour) so RR have form in regards to naval turbines (recently)

  59. Well that’s no surprise – the rolls royce turbines in the royal navies Type 45 destroyers can’t work in warm waters (ie anything warmer than portsmouth harbour) so RR have form in regards to naval turbines (recently)

  61. engines come and go…but

    the Social Justice Warrior crew is still there;

    so, “stealthy destroyer”,

    beware 8-knot merchant vessels,

    drifting garbage scows,

    and discarded cat boxes.

  63. This is supposed to be a WARSHIP for gods sake, and be able to sustain direct fire hits and still operate. Just look at that gas turbine! Fragile is to nice a word. The engine design may be powerful, start up quickly and be light weight, but if it gets knocked out by a “close but missed” weapon, it;s functionally useless. I can’t post a picture of a nuclear submarine power plant because they are all classified, but it was designed to take a pounding at 900 meters depth and still function.

    We already had this PROVEN design, why not reuse it for the Zumwalt and you would get unlimited range, existing know how on how to repair it, proven reliability and almost 100% guaranteed to be cheaper overall. Govt. (and Military contracting) just makes me sick with the decisions they make with the unwanted assistance of home town politicians who all want a piece of the action.

  65. This is what happens when you skip the testing phases. The last 20 years of American Naval ship building have been a disaster. Only thing as bad has been our aerospace projects like the F-35.

  66. Every contractor of every size, from Boeing down to Joe the Plumber Inc. dreams of getting government contracts.

    Because government bureaucrats are much more stupid, lazy, ignorant and dishonest than private sector managers. They’ll buy your product for truly stupid prices.

    Why?

    Because of the perverse incentives. Bureaucrats don’t get fired for horrendous financial misjudgement. The more money they spend, the more they can claim to need pay and perk increases, because they are “responsible” for handling so much money.

    Ah well, it’s immoral to let a sucker keep his money, and the voters are suckers, so I’m going to keep chasing the dream of renting some of my property to the government for 5 times its normal rental value.

  68. If we’e on the Trump train, we should be curbing the outrageous cost of privater contractor fees for government contracts. I took a Gum’t vehicle in to a place that does oil changes and such and it cost $XXX. I took my private vehicle to them for the exact same service, and it was $XX. They can see the big gum’t pocket book coming. And the contractors doing it don’t want you to know!

  70. My neighbor bought new furniture on one of those 90 days same as cash deals, only it took them 2 years to pay it off. They put it all in storage, because it was so expensive they didnt want to use it until it was paid for.

  74. Short answer is they have to amortize all the development costs across the 3 hulls they’re actually building, rather than the originally planned 32 hulls.

    Of the 22.5 billion cost for 3 hulls, 9.6 billion is R&D cost. The actual per-hull cost is 4.3 billion. Total amortized cost if they’re built all 32 would have been 4.6 billion at the current cost schedule (realistically, it would have been somewhere between 2.5-3 billion due to non-R&D tooling costs whiech are front-loaded)

  75. The Gerald Ford, the first of a new class of 100,000 dwt nuclear powered aircraft carriers cost, I believe, some 13 billion all-in. How can two Zumwalt’s cost more than an aircraft carrier? It must be the most expensive warship ever built on a per ton basis. Please tell us its capabilities. They must be devastating.

  76. $7.5 billion!? I’m sure a Zumwalt could be built for 1/10th the cost. Maybe Navy ship construction should be open for the commercial sector to compete for contracts too.

  78. Particularly likely for accidents to happen when this first crew is literally still in the process of WRITING the manuals for the Zumwalts routine maintenance proceedures!

  80. Looks like I’m the first commentator to follow the link and read the article. The turbine blades are damaged, cause of damage has not been determined. Navy will pay for the replacement rail system and pulling the engine. Once root cause is established, Navy has the option of going after Rolls Royce to recoup engine costs.

    Note that sailors have been known to break things by not following the proper procedures, so I won’t money on what the root cause is – manufacturing defect or foreign object damage are my leading contenders.

    Main engine repair is a non-trivial challenge, as the ships are designed and built around them. Throw in that these are not off the shelf commercial machinery; rather warship engines have very low production volumes, require precise tolerance of machining and only have a handful of manufacturers in the world – costs soar quickly. Just getting parts out of the hole to be repaired can be a challenge.

  81. What a joke, this bill should be footed by Rolls-Royce. Bath Iron Works also should take a hit, since they designed and built it, apparently thinking an engine would never ever fail. WTH?

  82. When incompetence is everywhere…The last 15 years of ship building have been garbage. Should have never gotten rid of our ship designers and gone commercial.

    So I am assuming that Rolls-Royce or the ship build is paying for this right?…RIGHT.

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