Gear defects, under staffing driving year-long delay on LHA-8

[rebewranger]

Gear defects, under staffing driving year-long delay on LHA-8

The GAO report brings to light the cause of a delay buried in the Navy's budget justification books.
By   JUSTIN KATZ
on June 09, 2022 at 2:02 PM
USS AMERICA (LHA 6)
 
WASHINGTON: A year-long delay in the delivery of the amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA-8) was caused by defects discovered in the main reduction gears and under staffing problems at the shipbuilder, a new report by a government watchdog revealed.

Additionally, changes to accommodate the ship’s new Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar have also contributed to schedule delays, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office, published Wednesday.

Program officials told GAO “that the shipbuilder continues to prioritize completing ships with earlier delivery dates, leaving LHA 8 construction understaffed,” according to the watchdog.

https://breakingdefense.com/2022/06/gear-defects-under-staffing-driving-year-long-delay-on-lha-8/

[rebewranger]

Does anyone in the Navy monitor the construction of new ships?  It feels like every new construction comes to the Navy as a piece of junk in need oif massive repairs.

[PeteS in CA]

Defective parts and builder under staffing problems are not design problems. Even the problem with adapting for the new radar system is not a problem with the basic design. Class leader USS America has been in service since 2014, a design based on the Wasp class, particularly USS Makin Island. Unlike the two POS LCS classes, the Wasp and America classes seem to be serving well.