Where was it built?
Agree completely. The Little Crappy Ships need to be cancelled yesterday.
I read maybe two years ago about a proposal to replace current Coast Guard ships with an upgraded version of their current ships. Those could probably replace the LCS, and be much less expensive.
I especially like how they can’t go into head-waves at all during bad weather. It’s just what our Navy needs.
Hell, bring back the Battleships, they’d be cheaper and they look spectacular. :)
Really now... This SHOULD not have happened. When I was in the Coast Guard back in the 1970’s the 378Ft Secretary class ships were of this style construction and they had the same stress crack problems. It was easily fixed with an expansion joint in the superstructure that allowed the superstructure to flex with the hull.
Bi-metal construction often has this sort of problem especially where there are wide temperature extremes from the Water to the Air temperatures.
Somebody really fell down on the job with this design. Then again maybe they were more concerned about the quarters for a mixed crew?
Union workers strike again !
My dad refused to accept a similar piece of crap when he was at the Pentagon. He had US Senators calling to lean on him to approve the defective vessel. He stood firm. It cost him a promotion from Commander to Captain. He was fine with that. Everyone knows where a Commander sits. The title Captain often elicits the question “Army or Air Force”.
Ray Mabus appears to be a typical Obamanoid appointment--which is to say, totally incompetent and politically crazy. And I would guess that Roughead probably is the kind of Perfumed Prince that Obama and Mabus would pick to do their wrecking for them.
All this, of course, under a Communist Secretary of Defense.
If you believe those pukes at POGO are nonpartisan and independent I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you cheap.
May be time for me to re-join the Navy.
...uh...nevermind...just remembered the recent tiff they had over DADT.
“cannot travel into head seas at any speed.”
What a confidence builder. I’m sure the Chinese Admirals are laughing...
BOTH of these classes have major problems, the least of which is a shortage of crew, leading to severe and dangerous fatigue.
More troubles for the Silkworm magnets.
USS INDEPENDENCE (LCS-2) is all aluminum and more survivable in a fight due to its three hulls vice one in LCS-1. However, the aluminum hull has experienced severe salt water corrosion problems and has necessitated a long and protracted yard period to apply the fixes.
Both ships are seriously under armed. They cannot survive without protection of the surface battle group. The Navy has said they are basically throwaway warships — but they disguise this with a fancy euphemism.
The ships are highly computerized to reduce manning, and the standard crew is about 45 officers, chiefs, and enlisted. There are too few hands to do things aboard ship and stand watches and endure long deployments.
Habitability issues when aviation assets or when VBSS (visit, board, search, seizure) teams or other teams are embarked. In these cases. “crew modules” that accommodate four sailors are embarked to provide sleeping quarters. All other features designed for a crew of 45 are overtaxed by the additional personnel including: messing, shower and head facilities, laundry.
The navy is very proud of the fact the LCS can crank 45 knots. Whoopie! I don't suppose the Navy has figured that an LCS running at 45 knots cannot outrun an anti-ship cruise missile traveling at Mach 0.8 to 2.0? Another question for the Navy “experts”: who's going to handle casualties and do damage control after you take a hit or hits? Crickets.
“Look for the Union Label”
The pictures of the cracks seem to indicate bad welds. The construction records should tell which welders did the welds and which inspectors approved them. It might prove interesting to see if the same welders and inspectors show up at the bad welds.
Thanks for the work ...It seems we leared nothing since the Sheffield and a number of other incidents at 367 mil$ ea and unseawothy for the open sea a complete waste .
Under who’s administration when they were ordered and who’s when commissioned ?
Seagoing Sheridans.