The U.S. Combat Ship That's Still Stuck in Singapore

[Purveyor]

Damage Extensive for Crippled U.S. Littoral Ship in Singapore

The USS Fort Worth, the third Littoral Combat Ship deployed by the U.S. Navy, suffered “extensive damage” during the botched maintenance procedure in January that’s left the crippled vessel sidelined in Singapore ever since, according to the service’s top weapons buyer.

A Navy team has been examining the vessel built by Lockheed Martin Corp. since the January 12 incident, when gears that propel the ship were damaged, Assistant Navy Secretary Sean Stackley said in Washington. An investigation is continuing into the failure that’s thought to have been caused by crew error rather than a design flaw.

“What they are finding is that the damage is pretty extensive,” with debris scattered through the primary propulsion system, Stackley told reporters after a congressional hearing on Wednesday, in the service’s most extensive comments on the issue. “We’re weighing the choice between repairing it in theater or repairing it at home.”

While the Navy said last week that the damage to the Fort Worth led it to relieve the vessel’s commander of his post, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Navy leaders haven’t mentioned the setback publicly or been asked about it. Instead, they have praised the program’s importance. The Fort Worth was on a 16-month deployment to Asia as proof of the Navy’s “rebalance” to the Pacific.

‘Terrific Deployment’

The Fort Worth “has just had a terrific deployment to the Pacific,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said during a House Defense Appropriations subcommittee hearing on March 1, without noting that it’s been sitting immobile in port.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-07/damage-extensive-for-crippled-u-s-littoral-ship-in-singapore

[dembotoz]

1. so you really can not fix everything with duct tape

who knew

[hunter]

2. Bet that's an expensive tow.

It could be worse:

Secret weld: How shoddy parts disabled a $2.7 billion submarine

[jmowreader]

7. It's apparently not going to be that bad of a tow

These ships have both diesel engines and gas turbines - why, I don't know; the FFG-7-class frigates the Littoral Combat Ships are meant to replace run only gas turbines, and the engines were not a problem - that link together with a "combining gear." (The Toyota Prius has a similar device to combine the electric motor and internal combustion engine...I would imagine, though, that the combining gear on a LCS is about the size of a Prius.) Anyway, the maintenance interval on the ship went awry when someone forgot to put any oil in the combining gear. The Navy says they can get the ship back to the US under its own power by running on their gas turbines, and this they'll probably do.

[dembotoz]

8. well i have AAA with the rv plus coverage

[edgineered]

3. Ugh.

As was typical when arriving in a new port, we would jump on a jitney, or in the case of Singapore, a bus, and ride around looking for the worst part of town. After three trips around the city we came to the realization that there wasn't one in Singapore. It is hard to imagine any hole snipe wanting to be stuck there. (now its off to downtown for a few quick games, and yes, the pool hall is close to the worst part of town - old habits I guess)

[tabasco]

4. Lucky crew!

I'm assuming they have shore privileges.

[bluedigger]

5. I had a cousin who did the same thing to his Kawasaki drag bike after rebuilding the motor.

He had a four year degree in small engine maintenance and forgot to put oil in it.

He was really glad he had full leathers on when the bike seized on the drag strip.

[JHB]

6. Bet the captain wishes he had those leathers now...

...because he's going out so fast he'll be skidding across the pavement.