Sea Trial Proves Tough Test for New Destroyer

There was no broom at the masthead as this new Aegis warship made its way back up the winding Kennebec River to the Maine ship­yard where it was born. No "clean sweep" sig­nifying all its systems had been fully tested.

While there was satisfaction that the ship had performed well enough to be accepted as the U.S. Navy's latest Arleigh Burke-class de­stroyer, the 442 sailors and civilians who had just put the Meyer through four days of sea tri­als knew it had been a substandard demon­stration.

The missiles weren't fired. The gun test was stopped after five rounds. Software problems plagued a combat systems test. A leak par­tially flooded a compartment.

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