BERLIN—Germany’s naval brass in 2005 dreamed up a warship that could ferry marines into combat anywhere in the world, go up against enemy ships and stay away from home ports for two years with a crew half the size of its predecessor’s. First delivered for sea trials in 2016 after a series of delays, the 7,000-ton Baden-Württemberg frigate was determined last month to have an unexpected design flaw: It doesn’t really work. Defense experts cite the warship’s buggy software and ill-considered arsenal—as well as what was until recently its noticeable list to starboard—as symptoms of deeper, more intractable problems: Shrinking military expertise and growing confusion among German leaders about what the country’s armed forces are for. A litany of bungled infrastructure projects has tarred Germany’s reputation for engineering prowess. There is still no opening date for Berlin’s new €6 billion ($7.2 billion) airport, which is already 10 years behind schedule, and the redesign of Stuttgart’s railway station remains stalled more than a decade after work on the project started. Observers have blamed these mishaps on poor planning and project management, which also figured in major setbacks for several big military projects. But experts say military efforts have also been hampered by the lack of a strategic vision for Germany’s armed forces, resulting in vague, hard-to-execute briefs. Before the frigate project foundered, a contract to build a new helicopter hit snags, costs for a new rifle overran and an ambitious drone project simply failed to get off the ground. German military procurement is “one hell of a complete disaster,” said Christian Mölling, a defense-industry expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin. “It will take years to sort this problem out.”.....snip~ http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...-fit-for-sea/ar-AAuAMwV?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=ientp Oh my.....there goes that theory on the Germans and their tech. Seems their engineering just isn't the cream of the crop. As some were trying to alleged around here. Poor Planning, poor project management. Lack of strategic vision and mishaps. Have the Germans gone the way of the Democrats? What say ye?
How not to build warships. Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) "Little Crappy Ship" as it's known in the U.S. Navy Zumwalt class destroyer. Baden-Württemberg F-125 class frigate.
I wonder how much of this has to do with their trying to make a single ship take on to many roles. This ship is designed to operate with a crew of 110, with 80 Marines. The ships they are to replace (the Bremen class frigate) has a full crew of 222, with no Marines. And even though they are calling it a Frigate, in displacement it is really a Destroyer. This to me sounds like it is yet another example of trying to cram to much into a single ship. Like the LCS and other more modern US ships, they are simply trying to take on to many various roles, and not doing any of them particularly well. They might be better stripping these ships down, and removing all the Marine berthing. Then refurbish the remaining Bremen class ships into a more modern version of the old WWII era Fast Transports.
Looks like their engineering problem isn't just with the military either. Also as it was mentioned, poor planning poor project management and lack of strategic vision.
Here in the UK we've become quite used to ineptness on such projects - in fact if one reached completion without any hiccup whatever, I for one wouldn't be able to stand the shock. But Germany?
Remember the VW scandal from 2 years ago. For 7 years they were unable to pass smog regulations in the US. Forcing the car to change how it operated during testing, but then violating the emission requirements by over 40 times when not being tested.
Oh yeah, the Germans do 'abject government incompetence' as well, if not better, than anybody! https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/berlin-brandenburg-airport-debacle/index.html
Yes i do. So what, government incompetence. We have an absolute crook as defense minister. This is what happens when politicians interact in such projects. And the ships are just one scandal. Ever heared about our failed A400M transport aircraft? Planned to be able to do evrything its good for nothing.
One should note that no car maker matchs the emission regulations and all cheated and it was just VW which got caught first. The worst cheating software was done from GM and Ford. Why dont you mention that? https://www.ft.com/content/75e42334-4165-11e7-9d56-25f963e998b2
Its about the failed Brandenburg Airport at Berlin. This project was planned to open in 2012 and no in 2021 with 4 times the cost and ridicolous problems.
Thanks. Sounds like they've caught 'The British Disease', where every new project is either shelved half-way through, or is years behind schedule and squillions over budget. But hey, it's only taxpayers' money - we're used to it!
It's an example of how trying to save money can end up massively wasting money. By trying to design these new ships (or planes, as the case may be) to fulfill multiple purpose roles, it turns out the ships are not terribly well suited to fulfilling any role.
No, i would not say its the english disease. Its simply normal, when a system reached the point of decadence. Thats why we need a great cleansing, not just in Germany but all of Europe and the western world in general. Anyone who believes we can counter China with our liberal democracy bullshit is a fool.
I totally agree with that. If the Roman Empire could fail because of decadence, stupidity, and corruption, so can we. And it's happening right now.
Even better, evry ******* can stop gigantic projects here by court rubbish. The railway system and Autobahns would be not possible anymore. What we need is end of this democracy bullshit for a period of roughly 20 years. Abolihsment of the party system. Evry person that studied rubbish like gender, philosophy and all that dirt has to do hard labor to learn what work actually means. The entire court system needs to be reformed. Judges must be elected by the people and sign their trials with their name in public when they speak law for the people. In short, we need a Pinochet.
Indeed, and desperately. Oh, and soon!! I sometimes wonder if the recalibration of the west might be achieved by a year or two of Sharia. Trouble is that Islam will want it to continue 'for a bit longer'?
I visited Chile in 2016 and they told us there Pinochet came just at the right moment. He was not corrupted and a true patriot. The country was held hostage by a decadent liberal leftist socialist elite in Santiago and Valparaiso. Artists, students and all this ****. The working people, the farmers were the majority but had no voice. One elderly guy told us that the women went to the soldiers and did throw them corn infront their feet to mock them as chicken because tehy did not rise up and kick the liberals out. That was days before Pinochet did stand up. Its burning in Germany as well. You ever saw our defense minister? She is a joke. The troops hate her. One soldier did spit infront her feet already. There were open calls for a coup few months ago and a general openly said he does not take her serious. If that comes out of the german military, you know its boiling down there.
Pinochet was ruthlessly demonised here by the dimwitted left, too; only Margaret Thatcher realised what he was up against, and how near Chile was to being taken over by the loony radical leftists.
US has it's share of boondoggles. http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/01/us/finally-16-months-late-denver-has-a-new-airport.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...st-four-flights-week-never-turned-profit.html
