One Lt. Col. Dan Ward, USAF, proves that there are lessons to be learned from the Star Wars universe.
http://www.dau.mil/pubscats/ATL%20Docs/Sep-Oct11/Ward.pdf
The Death Star’s lackluster contribution to the fight is reason enough not to build one, but serious problems emerged long before it was declared operational. In Return of the Jedi, viewers gain a fascinating insight into the programmatics of Empire acquisitions. In the single most realistic scene in the whole double-trilogy, Darth Vader complains that the second Death Star construction project is … behind schedule. In fact, much of the drama in Episode VI revolves around this delay.
Consider the implications of pop culture’s most notorious schedule overrun. In the Star Wars universe, robots are self-aware, every ship has its own gravity, Jedi Knights use the Force, tiny green Muppets are formidable warriors and a piece of junk like the Millennium Falcon can make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. But even the florid imagination of George Lucas could not envision a project like the Death Star coming in on time, on budget. He knew it would take a Jedi mind trick beyond the skill of Master Yoda to make an audience suspend that much disbelief.
This, I think, is one of the best discussions of the real-world implications of Death Star thinking since “Clerks.” Read the whole article… it’s good, funny, and full of valid points.
6 Responses to “Someone Learned The Lesson”
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Then too, if orbital strike platforms were operation and could strike the surface, a lot of fighter pilots might look to bash it, so you have to consider the source…
Unfortunately he doesn’t really ‘get it’. While his instincts are good (the ‘simplicity is good’ part) he tends to oversimplify on both the topic (which is really annoying when the topic is on simplicity-vs-complexity) and in his attempts to use cases-in-point, to the extent that he too often does violence to the subject and his examples. I am only speaking as to his writings under the Rogue Project Manager website (defunct), his FIST briefings/pitches (how I became aware of his stuff), and his blog posts. I have no idea how he approaches complexity in his real job.
It was a clever and somewhat funny paper in its subversive lighthearted tone though.
So which projects, in particular, would meet the criteria of being overly complex and expensive. I’m thinking Maginot line, Sentinel ABM system? Based on articles in Scientific American I’d say the M1 Abrams tank,which was famously declared obsolete due to cheap anti-tank missiles before it was even fielded by the anti-military press. I won’t mention “Star Wars” the ABM system because it never even got off the drawing board.
There’s a technical error in it also; it states that the second Death Star was destroyed before it was fully operational. The Emperor himself said it was “fully operational”, meaning that it could blow up planets although it was only using its giant laser against the rebel fleet during their attack.
Actually, luring the rebels into a attack on something they thought was uncompleted, when it actually had its main weapon ready to go, was pretty clever.
>The Emperor himself said it was “fully operational”
Rule One: the Doctor lies. Rule Two: The Emperor probably lies.
It *wasn’t* “fully operational.” It’s deflector shield was generated externally, and once that was down it was vulnerable. And while not mentioned one way or the other, It may not have been able to move.
A battleship under construction that is missing propellers and armor, but has a bridge and main guns on functional but un-armored turrets can hardly be considered “fully operational.”
Actually, I believe Mr Flannery is correct. The second Death Star was configured exactly as the Emperor specified, in order to lure the rebel forces into an ambush. If it had been sufficiently complete that the onboard shield generators were functional, or could have been functional, the Rebel Alliance probably would have not shown up with their battle fleet. Fortunately, while Sith Lords are masters of Grand Strategy and OPSEC, they really stink at the Operational Arts of War.
This was a classic failure of ‘command’, not technology
Thanks for the comic relief in a much needed time on this one.