Zumwalt's underlying design is judged sensible despite failures among the extra systems added to it. Adding ambitious features turned the programme into what is called a Christmas-tree project. On this interpretation, failed additions could have been removed and replaced while retaining the platform. Rejecting the overall concept discarded the useful design along with the unsuccessful features.
Notable Point · 31:13-31:41
Zumwalt and the Christmas-tree procurement problem
A criticism of the Zumwalt programme distinguishes a useful underlying platform from the ambitious additions that failed.