Photos show extent of oil leaks on LPD 17

[CommunityEditor]

The amphibious transport dock San Antonio got underway on its first deployment Thursday morning, two days after a problem with its stern gate forced the troubled ship to stay behind in Norfolk, Va.,, while other ships deployed.

The problem was discovered Sunday night, and involved a mechanical failure in a ram cylinder piston that controls the ship’s stern gate, said Capt. Brian Smith, commander of Amphibious Squadron 4.

San Antonio will join the remaining ships of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, which includes the dock landing ship Carter Hall, cruiser Vella Gulf and destroyers Ramage and Roosevelt. The flotilla will transport members of the Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit for its scheduled deployment.

About 1,700 MEU Marines were bused up to Norfolk to leave with the ships, which are heading to North Carolina to load their vehicles, aircraft and other cargo. Those who didn’t leave aboard Iwo Jima and Carter Hall were forced to stay behind until San Antonio was deemed ready to deploy.


Article: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/0...eploys_082808/

[CommunityEditor]

NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy on Monday confirmed the authenticity of photos revealing corrosion and oil leaks aboard the amphibious transport dock San Antonio, which began circulating on the Internet over the weekend. But a Navy spokeswoman added that the damage did not pose a danger to sailors and Marines on the deployed ship.

Meanwhile, the lube oil system leaks, which forced the ship into a repair yard in Bahrain on Oct. 31 in the middle of its maiden deployment, are expected to take longer to fix than a previously expected two weeks, Pat Dolan, spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command, said Monday.

The extended overseas pit stop is due to trouble getting needed materials to fix leaks in the lube oil system, she said.

“We’ve had some delays as a result of materials shipment,” Dolan said. She did not specify what repair materials were needed to make the ship safe for operation. Officials originally said the ship would take two weeks to repair.

Dolan said engineers are conducting a “root-cause analysis” and making repairs to welds, noting “some that require replacing whole sections of pipe.”

As for the photos, Dolan said the problems were documented in early October and are cause for major concern, but added that the ship’s sailors and Marines are not in danger. One set of photos show what appears to be oil sprayed into a space from one of the leaks.

“Any time lube oil is leaking, we take that very seriously,” she said. “If you have leaking oil, that could cause a fire.”

When the Norfolk, Va.-based ship pulled into Bahrain on Oct. 31 in the midst of a cruise with the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, a team of more than 30 engineers, welders, pipe fitters and engineers — as well as Navy maintenance personnel — had already arrived from the U.S.

But initial reports indicate the job is bigger than first thought, and more repair specialists have been requested. “I think the number may have grown,” she said.

Dolan did not have a cost estimate for the repairs.

The extended layover in Bahrain is just the latest in a string of performance problems with the first-in-class ship that was delivered late and at $1.8 billion, $1 billion higher than planned. A July 2005 inspection report made clear the first ship of the LPD 17 class would have perpetual problems.

Inspectors found “poor construction and craftsmanship ... throughout the ship,” and officials singled out problems with wiring. “Poor initial cable-pulling practice led to what is now a snarled, over-packed, poorly assembled and virtually uncorrectable electrical/electronic cable plant,” the report said.

Its condition — along with another poor performance report in 2007 — prompted Navy Secretary Donald Winter to publicly chide shipbuilder Northrop Grumman, saying the fleet “still does not have a mission-capable ship” two years after delivery.

And in late August, on the eve of its maiden deployment, San Antonio was stuck at the pier for two days with a broken stern gate while the rest of the strike group got underway.

Now in the Persian Gulf, San Antonio needs weeks of work for a problem that might have been foreshadowed in the July 2005 inspection. “Lube oil temperature regulating valves in the main propulsion diesel engine (MPDE) lube oil systems were improperly set. Incorrectly regulated MPDE engine lube oil temperature prevented the ship from making full power for a sustained period.”

The April 2007 inspection report notes several subsequent lube oil problems, but Dolan said those particular deficiencies were corrected in a subsequent yard period.

While the ship is under repair in Bahrain, off-duty crew will be taking liberty ashore as well as conducting community relations projects, said Lt. Nate Christensen, spokesman for 5th Fleet in Bahrain. The ship also is carrying elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

“They had a scheduled port visit,” he said, adding that it was extended at the outset for the critical repair work, now expected to take even longer.


Article: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/1...ntonio_111008/


Navy
A photo shows a leak in the
lube oil system for one of the
amphibious assault ship San
Antonio's four main propulsion
diesel engines. Other photos of
the same space show signifi-
cant oil splashed near the leak
pictured.

As a plank owner from New Orleans (LPD 18) I can say that there is no surprise. Us Sailors had absolutely no way to correct the problems of the shipbuilder, and our (P)CO ended up being stuck with a half unfinished ship. Of course the command climate was horrible, knowing we'd end up with the laughing-stock of the pier, and the fraternization didn't help, nor did the COC who swept it under the rug, but we still tried our best to get things functional. Anyways, read the INSURV reports for 17 and 18 and see for yourself. Expect to see the first few ships from this class have incredible problems.

There is one comment in particular that bothered me, the representitive saying the "while the problems are of major concern, the sailors and Marines were in no danger" It was also noted that one of the photos showed what appeared to be oil sprayed in the space. I beg to differ on the "no danger" part.

After spending twelve years in the main spaces of sveral different ships, I can honestly say that any type of oil leak, no matter how small, creates a dangerous situaion for the crew. Even a small leak, especially one that sprays, is a large problem. If the spray comes into contact with any thing hot, even a waste heat steam line (remember, steam valve bonnets and handwheels are generally not covered with lagging) it can and most likely will ignite.

Problems such as this should never be left to fester, and judging by the photos this went on for way too long.

What has happened to the navy? As a veteran surface naval officer, 11yrs, 2 tours as CHENG, 1 steam, 1 diesel, why was this ship even allowed to get underway? In my day, I can't imagine a CHENG who would even try to operate the plant with these leaks, and I can't imagine a CO who would allow this plant to operate.

[Battleshort]

Originally Posted by CommunityEditor

Inspectors found “poor construction and craftsmanship ... throughout the ship,” and officials singled out problems with wiring. “Poor initial cable-pulling practice led to what is now a snarled, over-packed, poorly assembled and virtually uncorrectable electrical/electronic cable plant,” the report said.

This paragraph says it all. The ship was delivered in sad shape because of politics.

[hawk71049]

.
The problem starts with the contract to build! Did it agree with the Purchase Order or agreement?

a) How can Northrop Grumman get away with late delivery, plus a purchase agreement of .8 billion and a delivery cost of 1.8 billion? one billion over the cost agreement No damn wonder we are having finical problems! My question is… How many other build projects exist with the DOD, that fall into this category?
b) Where was inspection to engineering specifications at during assembly?
c) Why in the name of God did the Navy accept the ship in such failed pre-inspection conditions?
d) How did the first commander of this ship… ever make his first voyage knowing the situation?
e) How on God’s green earth can we spend 1.8 billion dollars for something that is not Mission capable 2 years later?
f) How can Navy Secretary Donald Winter continue to accept non compliance!
g) I think the answer here is simple. How can you blame Northrop Grumman? They have been allowed to get away with this! Period!

Originally Posted by CommunityEditor

Dolan said engineers are conducting a “root-cause analysis”

What a joke! You want a “root-cause analysis” review a-g above!

With no disrespect to this lady at all, we have a spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command trying to answer command readiness of a ship that in all likely hood should have never left port!

The fox is chasing the chickens all over the yard while everyone is standing of the side lines… lmao

If I were the Navy Secretary Donald Winter I would get a returns goods authorization from Northrop Grumman and shove it up someone’s arse!

It’s funny how we make some things so difficult or complicated, where is the accountability... hawk

.

There's a reason they say:

BATH BUILT is BEST BUILT.

There are a number of things that go South with the South........
Work Ethic
Quality
Pride

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Those who follow shipbuilding and how the Navy awards contracts should not be surprised about any of this. I clearly remember the retired USAF BGEN who was the ASNRDA when the LPD 17 contract was awarded. This man stood before a conference gathering of a few hundred people and proudly stated that he rejected the first attempt of NAVSEA to issue the RFP for LPD 17 because the RFP contained 1 (one) MILSPEC. He told this industry audience that the LPD 17 would be built with NO MILSPECS in the contract, the first of any class to undergo this modern way of building war ships. No MILSPECS is the same as saying garbage in-garbage out. That's one man who should be held accountable, along with many others.

I'm a plankowner of this ship and i put all my best effort, blood,sweet and tears on bringing here to life with my fellow plankowners.I'm very sadden by this .They rush delivered the ship and this is the outcome ...the Firemain is supposed to be made of Titanium. I heard that bits and pieces of it is not entirely made of this metal.