Tension-filled day for LCS crew

[unhappycamper]

Tension-filled day for LCS crew
By Christopher P. Cavas
Posted : Wednesday Nov 19, 2008 17:02:18 EST

ABOARD FREEDOM — The crew knew this would be a tough day, perhaps one of the biggest challenges yet for the Navy’s first Littoral Combat Ship. They were headed for Canada’s Welland Canal, the narrow, man-made passageway between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. It was the next leg of the ship’s journey from its builder’s yard in Wisconsin to the open ocean.

The Welland features eight locks that lower ships from Erie to Ontario. Heading from the south end and starting with Lock 8, the ship moved on Tuesday morning in frigid temperatures and passing snow showers with a slow deliberateness. Each lock was a major shiphandling challenge, with only about 6 feet to 8 feet between the ship’s sides and the towering stone walls of the locks.

“We’ve got lots of time. We’re in no hurry. We’re going to do this right,” Cmdr. Don Gabrielson, commanding officer of the Freedom, told his crew in the morning.

The Canadians knew the challenges of the operation.

“This ship has lots of angles, features that jut out at the walls,” said master mariner Capt. Anil Soni of the Canadian government.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/11/defense_LCS_dispatch_111908/%2e



uhc comment: My panties are still in a twist over the $600,000,000 cost of this POS.

[Turbineguy]

1. If might be cheaper to bomb

the bad guys with bundles of money instead.