Most important data point on this fabulous NAVSEA slide 👇 78 MW worth of installed power. On Earth 2, the Navy can use that to pivot DDG 1000 and its peers into energy weapons such as lasers or rail guns.
Can it be done on Earth Prime? Shrug emoji
Can it be done on Earth Prime? Shrug emoji
... on a normal warship, one set of engines yields whirly-spinny effects to spin propellers and push the ship thru the water. Another set of generators provides the hotel power for the ship's Playstations, iPads and other vital systems. But DDGs 1000-1002 are different.
The ships have big main gas turbines as delineated here 👆and smaller, but still potent, aux gas turbines. They can operate together to yield zippity zap that CHENG and TAO and the CO et al can divide among priorities, the way Scotty can apply power to shields on the Enterprise
... but if the electrical power is theoretically available, can the Navy actually develop the high-demand systems to exploit it, and, potentially, change the game involved with fighting at sea? Lasers are the weapons of the future ... but they always will be, as the quip goes
The sales pitch makes certain seapower types salivate: Scalable delivery of effects ... mere pennies per "round" ... no volatile powder/fuel/HE stored onboard, improving damage control & making most efficient use of space onboard ... buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut y'gotta make it work
