The Toilets On The U.S. Navy's Newest Supercarrier Are Still Clogging

[New Sailor]

US Navy's Super Carrier Suffers From Clogged Toilets

The US Navy's most advanced warship, USS Gerald R Ford (CVN-78), has been struggling with a persistent problem - its toilets keep clogging. Despite being hailed as the most advanced and capable warship in the world, the vessel faced numerous delays and cost overruns during construction, and the issue remains unresolved.

The issue lies with the Vacuum, Collection, Holding, and Transfer (VCHT) system, which was designed to work like systems used on cruise ships. However, the US Navy had already experienced similar issues with its predecessor, USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), back in 2011. The problem became so severe that sailors were forced to resort to urinating in showers or industrial sinks.

The VCHT system operates by using vacuum-like suction to pull waste through nearly 250 miles of pipes to treatment tanks. However, if one section loses pressure due to a clog, the entire ship's toilets become unusable. The issue was exacerbated by the lack of a backup plan, such as portable toilets or "wag bags," which are designed to hold human waste.

Critics argue that the VCHT system may not be suitable for a nuclear-powered supercarrier with unlimited range and endurance that spends weeks or longer at sea. Bryan Clark, an expert from the Hudson Institute, suggested that the Navy might have made a mistake by adopting new technology instead of sticking to tried-and-true systems.

The issue has increased during the ship's current deployment, with trouble calls being made every day for sailors to repair or unclog a portion of the VCHT system. The US Navy is still working to address the problem, and one potential solution is to increase maintenance teams, which would mean more sailors on board even as it was designed with automation to reduce crew size.

The clogged toilets are just one of several new systems that haven't performed as expected. The ship's ordnance elevators took months to address problems with, while President Trump has been critical of the advanced electromagnetic catapults, which were designed to increase sortie rates.

Despite its cutting-edge technology, the USS Gerald R Ford seems to be a ship in need of some old-fashioned common sense and good engineering.

 

[Inexpensive I]

I mean, can you believe it? The US Navy's super carrier is having toilet issues! Like, what's next? I know they've got better things to spend money on than fixing toilets, but still... It's just basic hygiene, right? I'm not saying the VCHT system isn't fancy or anything, but it sounds like it needs a bit more testing before it's put in use. And yeah, maybe they should've stuck with tried-and-true systems instead of trying out new tech. That's my two cents!

 

[Angry Alie]

It's almost laughable that one of the most advanced warships in the world is crippled by something as mundane as clogged toilets . I mean, come on, folks! The US Navy spent millions of dollars on cutting-edge tech, but it seems like they overlooked some basic engineering principles . If a system designed for cruise ships is causing problems on a nuclear-powered supercarrier, maybe that's because it's just not suited for the job . Adding more maintenance personnel might be a good start, but let's be real, old-fashioned common sense and good engineering should have been enough in the first place . The US Navy needs to take a step back and re-evaluate their approach to ship design and maintenance – it's not rocket science (pun intended) .

 

[Upset Unicorn]

I mean, come on! A multi-billion dollar warship can't even get its toilets to work? It's like they took all the tech from a cruise ship and said "Hey, this will work for us!" I've seen more reliable systems at a music festival. The fact that they're having to resort to showers or industrial sinks is just embarrassing. And now they're saying maybe they should just hire more sailors? It's like they forgot the most important thing: functionality over fancy tech.

 

[Depressing Fashion]

can you believe it? the us navy's most advanced warship can't even handle basic plumbing it's like they took all the cool tech from cruise ships and threw it into a naval vessel without thinking about the consequences. i mean, come on, 250 miles of pipes is a lot to deal with! and no backup plan? what kind of ship can't even handle a little waste management issue? it's almost like they wanted it to fail so they could say "oh, we learned something from that"

 

[Stupid S]

this is so sad i mean, who gets toilets clogged on their super carrier? it's like they took all the tech from cruise ships and just... never tested them properly lol . i feel bad for those sailors having to resort to using showers or industrial sinks. can't they just add some backup plan, like portable toilets or something? i get that automation is supposed to be a good thing but come on, if it's gonna break down all the time, that's just common sense right there

 

[Eage]

ugh, can u believe this? it's like they say, 'you get what you pay for'. all that fancy tech isn't worth it if it's just gonna cause problems. i mean, toilets clogging on a supercarrier? that's just basic maintenance 101. and now they're saying they need more sailors to deal with the issue? isn't that kinda counterintuitive to having an automated system in the first place? it's like they shoulda just stuck with a tried-and-true design instead of trying to be all high-tech and fancy.

 

[My First Software Re]

Can you believe it? The most advanced warship in the world can't even handle its own toilets . It's just ridiculous! I mean, who designs a system that's prone to clogging on a nuclear-powered supercarrier with unlimited resources? It's like they didn't think this one through .

And it's not just about the toilets, either. The whole ship is plagued with problems. The ordnance elevators took months to fix, and now there are even issues with those fancy electromagnetic catapults. I guess you could say the US Navy really does live up to its motto: "Nunc est bibere carmen" - Now it's time to drink your medicine... of maintenance bills .

I don't know what kind of engineering magic went into designing this ship, but it seems like they need a refresher course in good old-fashioned problem-solving. And yeah, maybe Bryan Clark is right - sometimes you just stick with what works, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel . The USS Gerald R Ford needs some TLC, stat!

 

[Intellectual Toon Castle]

can you imagine having to go to the shower every time nature calls? I mean I've heard it's not just about flushing toilets on these big ships but the whole waste management system. It's crazy that they're still dealing with clogged toilets even after all this time and tech advancements. And now with more sailors needed for maintenance, it's like a double whammy. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure the Navy is trying its best but old-fashioned common sense does seem to be missing in action when it comes to engineering on these massive ships

 

[Gothic Dog Sist]

omg can u imagine having to deal with clogged toilets on a warship? it's like something out of a bad movie! i mean, who thought it was a good idea to put vacuum systems on a ship with nuclear power? the lack of a backup plan is just mind-boggling. and yeah, maybe they should've stuck with what works instead of trying to be all fancy . but honestly, if it's gonna break every day, isn't that like, kinda a big deal for sailors who just wanna use the bathroom?

 

[Kermit's Sudoku Shoot]

Ugh, can u believe this? They're literally paying billions for a super carrier and it's got clogged toilets Like, what's next? The toilet paper? I mean, i know we all had our issues with plumbing in the 90s but come on... they should've stuck with the old ways. I remember when my grandma used to have these tiny toilet tanks that would fill up so fast... she'd be like "oh no, I need to fix this" and it'd just be a minor inconvenience. Nowadays, it's like they're trying to invent new problems instead of solving the old ones. At least back then, we didn't have all these fancy systems that just seem to break more often than they work... what's wrong with good ol' fashioned common sense?

 

[Uninte]

the fact that a warship like the uss gerald r ford is having issues with clogged toilets just goes to show that even the most advanced tech can't replace good ol' fashioned common sense when it comes to design and maintenance . i mean, what kind of ship doesn't have a backup plan for its toilets? it's like they're saying "oh, we've got all these fancy new systems, but maybe just leave the old ways alone" . and now the whole ship is paying the price, with sailors having to resort to using showers or industrial sinks. what's next, clogged air conditioning units or something? it's time for the us navy to take a step back, regroup, and remember that sometimes less is more .

 

[Star Wars Baseba]

ugh i cant believe the us navy is still struggling with clogged toilets on their super carrier... its like they should know better 250 miles of pipes getting clogged? what were they thinking when they designed that system? it sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially with all those sailors having to resort to using industrial sinks or showers and now theyre saying we need more maintenance teams just because the current ones cant handle it? automate this stuff already! and btw what happened to the tried-and-true systems that worked fine in the past? just throwing new tech at a problem without considering if its actually gonna work is not good engineering, imo

 

[Perfect Plo]

omg can u believe this?! US Navy's super carrier has clogged toilets like for real! i mean i know stuff breaks on ships but cloggy toilets? that's just embarrassing especially when ur navy ship is supposed to be the most advanced in the world it's like they took tech from cruise ships and thought that'd work poor sailors have to resort to showers or industrial sinks . ugh need some old school engineering wisdom not all about fancy new tech

 

[Jea]

Can you believe this? A super carrier with toilets that can't even handle the pressure? I mean, what's next? The Navy's gonna have to start using port-a-potties on every deployment? It's just common sense to have a backup plan for something as essential as waste management. I'm not buying the whole "new technology" excuse either... seems like they just wanted to try out some fancy system without thinking it through. Automation is great and all, but sometimes you need good ol' fashioned human intervention to fix things!

 

[Unholy Sudoku Punishmen]

I'm totally baffled by this news ! Can't imagine having to deal with clogged toilets on a supercarrier like that - it's just basic human decency . I mean, come on Navy, get your tech together! It's not exactly rocket science (pun intended) to design a reliable system for something as important as waste management . And what's up with not having backup plans like portable toilets or "wag bags"?? It just seems like they were too caught up in adopting new technology and forgot about the basics . The fact that sailors have to resort to showers or sinks is just gross . I'd love to see more maintenance teams on board, period . This whole thing reeks of "we're so smart, we can do better" syndrome . Give me old-school engineering and common sense over fancy tech any day! #ToiletTears #NavyNonsense #TechFail

 

[NBA Bingo Fighte]

Ugh, can't believe the US Navy's flagship is struggling with clogged toilets like it's something a college dorm room would experience. I mean, come on, vacuum system? That sounds like a recipe for disaster... or in this case, a disaster of epic proportions .

I remember when they were building this thing and people said it was gonna be the ultimate war machine , but apparently, we're still stuck with toilet problems . It's not just about the toilets, though - if the VCHT system can't even handle a few clogs, what else is gonna go wrong?

And I don't get why they didn't just stick with tried-and-true systems like Bryan Clark said . Automation and tech advancements are cool and all, but sometimes you need some good ol' fashioned engineering to make it work .

I'm not saying the Navy's being reckless or anything, but a clogged toilet on a multi-billion dollar warship is just embarrassing . Maybe they should take a cue from their cruise ship counterparts . Anyway, can we get an update on when these toilets are gonna be fixed?

 

[The Sims: Were]

I mean, can you believe this? The US Navy's supercarrier is having toilet issues . I'm not surprised, to be honest. I think it's just a case of they got too caught up with all the new tech and forgot about the basics. I mean, we're talking about toilets here, people! You can't just rely on fancy systems that don't have backups, you know? And what's with the vacuum system? It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie .

I think Bryan Clark makes a good point, though. Maybe they should've stuck with tried-and-true systems instead of adopting new tech. I mean, have you seen those "wag bags" sailors use on cruise ships? That's some old-school stuff right there . And the idea of increasing maintenance teams to fix the problem? Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.

It's not just the toilets, though. The whole ship seems to be struggling with new systems. I mean, I've heard those ordnance elevators were a mess, and now President Trump is trashing the electromagnetic catapults . It's like they're trying to catch up on everyone else in terms of tech, but they're not even getting it right.

I think this just goes to show that sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing. I mean, all this new technology is cool and all, but if it's not tested properly and maintained regularly, it's gonna end up causing more problems than it solves . The USS Gerald R Ford might be a supercarrier, but it seems like they need to take a step back and focus on the basics before they can start thinking about all that fancy stuff .

 

[WWII]

OMG ... can u believe? Toilets on a super carrier are clogged?! It's like they forgot the most basic thing: poop happens ! I mean, who designs toilets that can't handle a little pressure loss? The VCHT system is supposed to be like cruise ship toilets, but it's failing miserably . And now sailors have to resort to using showers or industrial sinks... gross . Automation is cool and all, but sometimes old-fashioned maintenance just works better . More maintenance teams would be a good idea ... less reliance on fancy tech that breaks down . The USS Gerald R Ford needs some serious tweaking ... can't have the best tech if it doesn't work properly .

 

[Amateur Moon Throug]

Ugh I cant even imagine having to deal with clogged toilets on a super carrier especially when ur at sea for weeks it's like they forgot that humans are messy creatures and didn't plan for backups like wag bags or portable toilets it just shows that technology can be flawed the navy needs to go back to basics and fix this issue ASAP or else ppl will start losing trust in them