Navy's beleaguered San Antonio has another setback

The Virginian-Pilot ^ | July 20, 2011 | Corinne Reilly

[Oztrich Boy]

Maybe it was built on a Friday

[mad_as_he$$]

I understand the Seawolf is known as the “Pierwolf”.

[GATOR NAVY]

I see what you saying but the problems with San Antonio have been going on for over five years now with no end in sight. I seems to be beyond the expected teething problems of a new ship class.

On the side, I can’t imagine seeing the Newport-class as the new guys on the block. I was on Bristol County (LST-1198) in the mid-80s and decommissioned San Bernardino (LST-1189) in ‘95. I got my OOD underway letter on the latter because they were trying to run as many JOs through EOOW as possible before decommissioning. Had an entirely enlisted bridge/CIC watch team.

[Blueflag]

Thought of your thread when I saw this:

http://www.fox43tv.com/dpps/military/navy/navy-ship-begins-2nd-half-of-trials_3839786

Navy ship begins 2nd half of trials
USS San Antonio left Norfolk June 6

Updated: Friday, 10 Jun 2011, 11:42 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 07 Jun 2011, 1:35 PM EDT

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The first ship in the Navy’s new San Antonio class of amphibious transport docks is undergoing the second half of its sea trials.

Media outlets report that the USS San Antonio left Norfolk on Monday. Cmdr. Thomas Kait says the ship’s four main diesel engines were “purring like kittens” during the sea trials’ first half last month.

The USS San Antonio conducted shiphandling drills with USS New York during San Antonio’s second phase of sea trials, which is focused mainly on combat systems and crew proficiency.

Problems plagued the ship’s first deployment in 2008. The San Antonio had to stop in Bahrain for emergency repairs because of engine problems.

In April, the Navy terminated a maintenance contract with a Portsmouth company for work on the San Antonio class ships.

[Retain Mike]

It is also hard for me to imagine the 1179’s as the new kids. The Westchester County served the U.S. Navy for twenty years, the Turkish navy for thirty years, and rests on the bottom of the Mediterranean as part of a new reef after fifty years of total service. I guess we have to accept we are becoming living antiques.