IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

No, it's not a battleship

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Trump Ego Project/Boondoggle

Critics dismiss the battleship as a wasteful publicity stunt unlikely to be built, delaying real programs like DDG(X).
"the whole proposal is nothing more than some of Trump's staffers coming up with an image and a bullet list and him liking it" (jasonwatkinspdx).
"It's kind of hilarious they announced this at the same time as the Constellation-class getting canceled, just to make sure there's no chance the Navy goes even a single day without an active boondoggle" (Analemma_).

2. US Navy Procurement Failures

Ongoing shipbuilding disasters (LCS, Zumwalt) exacerbated by this, harming capacity vs. China.
"US Navy procurement has been a disaster for over two decades now? Just Zumwalt and LCS alone are like $50 billion burned up for nothing" (jasonwatkinspdx).
"The new Trump-class battleships will replace the Navy's previous plans to develop a new class of destroyer, the DDG(X)" (kcb, quoting announcement).

3. Obsolete in Modern Warfare

Large ships vulnerable to hypersonics, missiles, drones; prefer distributed/smaller assets.
"Anywhere near the coast of China, a warship is within range of truck-mounted anti-ship missiles. Lots of them" (Animats).
"better to have 3x10k ton warship than 1x30k ton warship" (hermitcrab).

🚀 Project Ideas

Navy Procurement Dashboard

Summary

  • A web-based dashboard aggregating real-time data on US Navy shipbuilding programs, tracking costs, delays, planned vs. actual builds (e.g., Zumwalt: 32 planned, 3 built), and comparisons to alternatives like DDG(X).
  • Core value: Enables taxpayers, analysts, and enthusiasts to visualize waste and opportunity costs, fostering informed debate on procurement disasters.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience HN readers, defense analysts, taxpayers frustrated with "25 years of the Navy's procurement being an absolute disaster" (jasonwatkinspdx)
Core Feature Interactive timelines, cost overrun charts, program status feeds from public sources (e.g., GAO reports, USNI)
Tech Stack React/Next.js frontend, PostgreSQL backend, D3.js visualizations, Scrapy for data ingestion
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Freemium with premium API access

Notes

  • HN commenters would love exposing boondoggles like LCS/Zumwalt: "Zumwalt and LCS alone are like $50 billion burned up for nothing" (jasonwatkinspdx).
  • High potential for discussion; could integrate user-submitted analyses for practical utility in advocacy.

Hypersonic Naval Threat Simulator

Summary

  • Browser-based simulator modeling modern naval engagements with hypersonics, drones, VLS salvos, and defenses, testing ship designs (e.g., large battleship vs. distributed Burkes).
  • Core value: Validates debates on ship vulnerability, e.g., "ships even defendable in the age of hypersonic missiles?" by running Monte Carlo scenarios.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Naval enthusiasts, strategists debating "hypersonics only hype" vs. real threats (JumpCrisscross, maxglute)
Core Feature Drag-and-drop fleet builder, physics-based missile trajectories, interception rates (e.g., Kinzhal 6-25%), outcome stats
Tech Stack Three.js/WebGL for 3D viz, Python/NumPy backend via WebAssembly, open missile data from CSIS
Difficulty High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Directly addresses "extrapolate to a more performant PRC hypersonic" (maxglute); quotes like "USN can't do anything against PRC" fuel simulations.
  • Sparks HN threads on tactics; practical for wargaming DDG(X) vs. Trump-class viability.

Shipyard Capacity Scheduler

Summary

  • SaaS tool for optimizing US shipyard workflows, simulating build schedules, workforce allocation, and infrastructure ramps to maximize output (e.g., Virginia-class delays).
  • Core value: Solves "shipyards can't build anything" by modeling "practical best" (kcb), prioritizing real programs over stunts.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Defense contractors, policymakers, HN users noting "need to build up the infrastructure" (jjk166)
Core Feature Gantt-style scheduler with constraints (drydocks, steel supply), what-if scenarios for ramping to 3+ ships/year
Tech Stack Vue.js frontend, OR-Tools for optimization, Docker for simulations
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Subscription tiers for enterprises

Notes

  • HN would embrace fixing "US navy is in freefall... Shipyards can't build anything" (kcb); utility in debating "increased shipyard capacity" (mpyne).
  • Encourages collaborative models shared on HN for procurement reform discussions.

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