And that's precisely what's terrifying about it.
I have nothing against optimising the performance and efficiency of mechanical systems through the judicious application of a microprocessor here and there - but you still have to be able to get the thing running again if something goes wrong, especially for warships which *by definition* are intended to go into harm's way and survive damage, preferably while still being able to give as good as she got to the enemy.
Both of the ships on which I served were World War II vintage and it was clear in looking at how all the machinery worked that every effort was made to keep things going no matter what. The second ship on which I served, an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer (fast and very heavily armed), was hit by a kamikaze at Okinawa right after shooting down another kamikaze. She received extensive damage to the forward superstructure and number two main gun turret, and secondary damage to the forward boiler room and engine room (two boilers per boiler room). Steam pipes were ruptured, electrical power was disrupted and some 80 sailors were killed, with many more wounded.
Despite the heavy damage and loss of personnel, the ship was still seaworthy and was able to sail out of the immediate area to a destroyer tender for repairs. Following repairs, she made it back to Long Beach Navy Yard under her own steam, with one boiler on line and one engine. There wasn't enough steam output from the single boiler to maintain propulsion, desalinate water, run the systems required to keep the boiler fired and generate electricity, so the generators remained shut down. Because the systems needed to fire the boilers and manage steam flow to the engines were themselves operated by steam, not electricity, the ship could be sailed despite this condition.
Other examples of this thinking could be found in the gunnery, all which could be manually operated. It was possible to fire torpedoes without electricity, as well as drop depth charges. The naval architects who designed the ship knew that electrical systems would be first to be knocked out during combat, so they did their best to minimize dependence on electronics to handle the ship. That philosophy proved to be very wise.
- USS Allen M. Sumner
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