Spain builds submarine 70 tons too heavy after putting a decimal in the wrong place

[Capt Worley PE]

Oopsie.

HARTFORD, Conn. — A new, Spanish-designed submarine has a weighty problem: The vessel is more than 70 tons too heavy, and officials fear if it goes out to sea, it will not be able to surface.

And a former Spanish official says the problem can be traced to a miscalculation — someone apparently put a decimal point in the wrong place.

“It was a fatal mistake,” said Rafael Bardaji, who until recently was director of the Office of Strategic Assessment at Spain’s Defence Ministry.

More: http://o.canada.com/2013/06/06/spain-builds-submarine-70-tons-too-heavy/

 

[Master slacker]

Oopsie.

HARTFORD, Conn. — A new, Spanish-designed submarine has a weighty problem: The vessel is more than 70 tons too heavy, and officials fear if it goes out to sea, it will not be able to surface.

And a former Spanish official says the problem can be traced to a miscalculation — someone apparently put a decimal point in the wrong place.

“It was a fatal mistake,” said Rafael Bardaji, who until recently was director of the Office of Strategic Assessment at Spain’s Defence Ministry.

Funny part?

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I think they just need to name it Vasa and proceed as if nothing were wrong, or have their FMS guys sell it to the Iranian navy.

 

[blybrook PE]

By the article, they are working on solutions to correct the mistake; possibly by making it longer. Guess the designers didn't have any QA/QC methods in place.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Google R101 to see how well adding length for buoyancy works after the thing is built (different medium, same results, I bet)