New Navy ship San Antonio found to be rife with flaws

The Virginian-Pilot ^ | 14 April 07 | LOUIS HANSEN

[GATOR NAVY]

For what it's worth, this sounds like an INSURV (Board of Inspection and Survey) inspection. These are done shortly after commissioning (here), before decommissioning, and about every 5 years during the ship's lifetime. They are by far the most in-depth inspections a ship goes through, and no ship comes through unscathed.

That being said, I know there have been a lot of problems with the LPD-17 class.

[Riley]

They’re still building San Antonio-class LPDs? Don’t they date back to the 60s?

[Moose4]

Nope, these are brand-new cutting-edge amphibious assault ships. Discovery Channel’s “Futureweapons” had a feature on the San Antonio today, ironically enough.

}:-)4

[GATOR NAVY]

Despite its troubles, the San Antonio, above, was under way for 200 days last year. It rescued a distressed fishing vessel off the North Carolina coast in December. It has not yet been on an overseas deployment. U.S. NAVY FILE PHOTO

Navy inspectors found inoperable steering, faulty ventilation and interrupted radio communications in their review of the ship at Norfolk Naval Station. The Virginian-Pilot file photo

[GATOR NAVY]

You may be thinking of the AUSTIN-class.

[LibKill]

Quality Control failed. I expect the Navy can get it fixed but it's going to cost a bundle.

Kind of an unconventional look to that ship as well. 21st Century, we are here!

[Riley]

Oh- I see. I spent a little time on the DuBuque LPD-8 for a PHIBLEX. She was a bit roll-y in relatively calm seas, but it was overall, a pleasant experience.

The new ones are pretty good looking. I hope they iron out the wrinkles. I’d love to go aboard one to see what’s new.

[Riley]

You may be thinking of the AUSTIN-class.

(slaps forehead) You're absolutely right.

[Cicero]

It sounds like union labor and some pretty lousy supervisors. The faults mentioned sound more like carelessness or laziness than problems with a new design.

[Gumlegs]

Ping.

[ichabod1]

It rescued a distressed fishing vessel off the North Carolina coast in December.

And that's the highest use of a warship in this day and age, isn't it.

[kms61]

I googled Conrad Chun, and he was a LCDR in 2002. Seems to be on a pretty fast track.

[realpatriot]

May-haps Katrina had a little something to do with the problems? That and unions, of course.

[kms61]

The crew of that fishing boat probably thinks so.

[org.whodat]

According to a 2005 Navy report, inspectors found "poor construction and craftsmanship."

And how many time were the subcontractor found using illegals as labor???

[Citizen Tom Paine]

Are there any guns on that ship?

[sionnsar]

A humiliation to the conservative city of San Antonio?

[quikdrw]

Rear Admiral John Bulkeley was still in charge of INSURV when my ship went through it in 1984. INSURVE was hard then, I’m sure that it hasn’t changed.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

In all cases but with Uncle Sam, when a contractor underbids and produces an unusable product, the contractor pays. (Not that this is the first time this has happened.)

Paging Consumer Reports....

NOT paging Antonio Gramsci.

[GATOR NAVY]

She was a bit roll-y in relatively calm seas...

Really? I was on two LPDs and thought they rode like Cadillacs. But that could be because I was also on two LSTs.