Source: Global Times

[Global Times Report] According to the U.S. military news website "National Security Journal" (NSJ) on August 5 local time, the U.S. Navy's "Zumwalt"-class destroyer "Michael Monsoor" recently docked at Yokosuka Port in Japan. However, what caught attention was not the massive ship itself, but its apparent state of damage. Photos circulating online show that the "Michael Monsoor" has rust spots and peeling coatings, as if it had been rained on for a long time. The report said that this scene is not only embarrassing but also symbolic.

The "Michael Monsoor" docked at Yokosuka Port in Japan. Photo from U.S. media

The report said that the rusty appearance of the "Michael Monsoor" has triggered mockery and concern on Japanese networks. Some Japanese netizens joked that "it takes courage to board this ship for combat." Others questioned whether the visible corrosion could affect the ship's radar-evading design. Some people said, "Instead of trying to be quiet, just shout loudly," mocking the ship's so-called stealth performance.

Regarding this, the U.S. Navy explained that it does not affect the ship's performance. A U.S. Navy spokesperson told NSJ, "Corrosion and stains are normal for a ship of this size and the amount of time it spends at sea. 'Sunlight, seawater, and visual wear caused by its mission will not affect performance.'

"However, for a ship that costs as much as $9 billion, this visual effect is hard to ignore," the report said. This scene confirms the views of some critics of the "Zumwalt"-class destroyer project. When a highly expensive stealth destroyer looks like it has been rained on for a long time, it is not only embarrassing but also symbolic. The U.S. "Wall Street Journal" reported on April 4 that the U.S. Navy faces challenges including aging infrastructure, personnel shortages, and limited drydock capacity, leading to delays in maintaining U.S. warships.

The "Zumwalt"-class destroyers are called the most advanced destroyers in the United States. However, due to their high cost, the "Zumwalt"-class destroyer project has also been described by U.S. media as a "complete disaster." The U.S. "The National Interest" news website stated that the original plan was to build 32 "Zumwalt"-class destroyers, but only three were eventually built. The construction cost was too high, the weapons were fragile, and the system efficiency was low. Critics believe that keeping the "Zumwalt"-class destroyer project is a waste of resources. The report said that the original intention of the "Zumwalt"-class destroyer was to revolutionize naval combat with its stealth capabilities and advanced weaponry, but now it has become a symbol of "strategic miscalculations and wasteful spending."

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535684656318939674/

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