Gator oil leaks: What went wrong?

[unhappycamper]

The amphibious transport dock San Antonio entered the yard on Oct. 31 in Bahrain to fix its oil leaks.


Gator oil leaks: What went wrong?
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Nov 17, 2008 5:52:14 EST

NORFOLK, Va. — Experts who have examined the photos of major oil leaks aboard the amphibious transport dock San Antonio are calling the workmanship on the new amphib “sloppy,” “unacceptable” and “criminal.” One former chief engineer said any other CHENG in the Navy would be “thankful this wasn’t their ship.”

But it is someone’s ship, and despite the finger-pointing, experts say the Navy has a serious problem on its hands.

The ship that was handed over to the Navy late, incomplete and $1 billion over budget now has more unwanted attention. A little over two months into its deployment, the ship entered the yard on Oct. 31 in Bahrain to fix the oil leaks — an embarrassing midcruise pit stop that’s expected to last longer than the initial two-week estimate.

Not long after the ship entered the yard, a series of photos showing lube oil leaking from failed welds in one of the ship’s main machinery spaces surfaced on the Internet.

On Nov. 12, Time magazine called the San Antonio “the Navy’s Floating Fiasco.” And its newest woes have the attention of the Navy’s highest authorities.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/11/navy_sanantonio_111608w/%2e

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Congress would be well-advised...

To drop this whole subject in Joe Sestak's inbox and give him the portfolio.

Obama would be well-advised to strongly consider Joe for SECNAV. Joe can run for Senate after that.