Cannibalized parts, systems that sailors can’t fix: LCS maintenance woes could get worse, watchdog warns 1 day ago A government watchdog report warns that the Navy s system for maintaining littoral combat ships could lead to even tougher challenges. (Navy) When they first started filling the surface fleet’s ranks 13 years ago, the Navy’s littoral combat ships were billed as agile, efficient vessels capable of taking on a variety of missions. Part of that efficiency involved small crews, which in turn required heavy reliance on contractors for even routine maintenance. But such choices have led the embattled class to encounter maintenance challenges not seen elsewhere in the fleet, issues that could imperil the ability of such ships to get out of maintenance on time and therefore lessen the number of ships available for operations, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report.
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Engine cooling issue sidelines LCS Sioux City March 12 The littoral combat ship Sioux City has been sidelined for several months after an issue with the engine cooling system was discovered in January, officials confirmed this week. (Navy) The littoral combat ship Sioux City is laid up after air was found in the ship’s lube oil, which could affect engine cooling and raise the risk of overheating, Naval Surface Force Atlantic officials confirmed this week. The problem was discovered Jan. 12 during routine maintenance aboard the ship, which was commissioned less than three years ago in November 2018. Initially, the repairs were only expected to take a few days, but officials now say they don’t have a timeline for when Sioux City will once again be good to go.
Navy postpones USS Minneapolis-St. Paul commissioning after design defect discovered The Associated Press February 2 Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite tours the Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS-21) on July 8, 2020, at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Shipyard in Wisconsin. (MC2 Alexander C. Kubitza/Navy) DULUTH, Minn. The U.S. Navy says the commissioning of the USS Minneapolis-St. Paul in Duluth is on hold after a design defect was discovered. The high-speed combat ship was christened at the Marinette, Wisconsin, shipyard in 2019. The commissioning ceremony was expected to take place this spring before a problem with the propulsion system was discovered.