Widespread problems found on LPDs, other ships

[unhappycamper]

Faulty welds, lube-oil problems and engine issues continue to dog the San Antonio-class of amphibs, such as New Orleans, above, as well as other ships.


Widespread problems found on LPDs, other ships
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 21, 2010 21:56:22 EST

Navy engineers are tackling a raft of problems discovered aboard warships built at the Gulf Coast yards of defense giant Northrop Grumman — including faulty welds, lube-oil problems and a defective engine — in the latest installment of the ongoing saga between the Navy and its largest shipbuilder.

Inspectors are rechecking every pipe weld aboard every ship built in the last several years at Avondale, La., or Pascagoula, Miss., including destroyers and small- and big-deck amphibs, after discovering so many problems that all pipe welders and Navy inspectors at both yards had to be decertified and then recertified to work on ships.

Navy officials didn’t have information Thursday morning about how many people had to requalify to work in the yards, or how many people couldn’t requalify and were dismissed. The disbarring and reapplication took place last summer, when some of the problems were first discovered.

~snip~

In addition to class-wide problems with worn bearings, New York also has specific troubles with one of its main engines, which has a bowed crankshaft that will need to be replaced in a procedure Naval Sea Systems Command has never attempted before, said Jay Stefany, program manager for the LPD 17 class.

The fleets, NavSea, Northorp Grumman and its subcontractors are all dealing with the various engineering problems, Stefany said. In the case of New York, which is still under warranty, Northrop will pay for the assessments and repairs. As for the rest of the ships, Navy officials aren’t sure yet which agencies will be responsible for which steps in assessing and resolving problems, how much it will cost or how long it will take.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2010/01/navy_ships_problems_012110w/



unhappycamper comment: Call me silly, but $1.4 billion dollars should buy better reliability than a 1970 Ford Pinto.

[Po_d Mainiac]

1. That was unfair....to the Pinto n/t

[madokie]

6. I was fixing to point out the same thing

the pinto was reliable up to the moment it was hit in the rear section. From that point forward not so good. :-)

[FreakinDJ]

2. I bet the Navy sure misses the Bath Shipworks now

Maybe moving down to New Orleans to get rid of the Unions wasn't such a good idea after all

[Thothmes]

3. Bath Iron Works is still building warships for the U.S. Navy

Because of its location on the Kennebeck River, they do no build large ships, mostly destroyers,frigates and some years ago 16 and 26 class cruisers.

[Zech Marquis The 2nd]

4. why am I NOT surprised by the Navy?

I thought they were suppose to have checked out these news ships BEFORE accepting them...but then again, this is the same Navy who have told alot of potential recruits that they simply don't have any job openings :eyes: Go army!

[Obamanaut]

5. Perhaps not having job openings is a polite way of weeding out

the less desirable recruit.

[madokie]

7. Back in my day in the Navy '67-'70

about a third of the guys I was in boot camp with were there by court decree.

[FreakinDJ]

8. And a High Percentage were likely reformed

you say that like a little discipline is a bad thing

[madokie]

9. Didn't mean too

just pointing out the changes.
I'd say most were reformed for whats that's worth. :hi: