A Long Time Ago...

Artist's Conception of USS Zumwalt DDG-1000 Underway

At some time in the sorta wayback I worked on this project. Pre-exile, as it were. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on this project and felt good about the work I did on this "Future Surface Combatant". We all were issued little pins which said that. In fact, here's what they looked like...

Oh, we had scads of this kinda stuff all over the place. Posters, hats, polo shirts, mouse pads, etc. It's amazing what a company will spend money on which has absolutely no relevance to getting product out the freakin' door. But it's good for marketing. I suppose.

I'm sure it's precisely that kind of attitude which won for me the opportunity to go into exile and work on a different project. A well-established project which is pretty much my employer's current cash cow. Those folks don't let nonsense get in the way of getting product "out the door". The rest of the company reaps the benefits of having at least one sub-division of the company know what the heck they're doing. The folks on that project loved having me and were sad to see me go. Though offered a position there, I deferred, not wanting to move. (Hey, the house will be paid for in a couple of years. I really don't want to start over again.)

Of course, on that old project, I was also guilty of, on occasion, pointing out certain things...

"Uh, the Emperor is naked..." (Translation: these requirements need a lot of work)

"No, Sarge he's not." (Translation: no, no, they're fine..)

"Why can't you just be a team player?" (Translation: ..besides which, we've completed the requirements phase. Further translation: we've already spent all of that money)

"But..." (Translation: How the hell do you expect me to test these?)

"Just get it done!" (Translation: If you won't do this, we'll find someone who will...)

(Which they did. And no, that particular system still doesn't work quite right.)

But I digress. Seems that the project is doing just "fine" without me. Actually no, they're not, but that's another story for another time. But there's another group of hard working men and women that don't let nonsense get in the way of "getting product out the door", I give you Bath Iron Works...

And furthermore, here is a SITREP from Rear Admiral Thomas Rowden from back in September.

This ship class is gonna get built. All three of them. (Don't get me started on the name of the 3rd ship in the class. That particular name gives me nightmares!) Not all of the systems are going to work first time but they'll get the bugs worked out. Only question there is cost.

On the bright side?

I was never associated with LCS*.

Knock on wood...

*LCS = Littoral Combat Ship, aka Little Crappy Ship, aka Expensive Target