Navy: InSurv recommends accepting ($704 million dollar) LCS 2

[unhappycamper]

Navy: InSurv recommends accepting LCS 2
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 9, 2009 17:19:44 EST

Navy inspectors have recommended the service take delivery of its second littoral combat ship, the Independence, after going over the ship and riding along for its sea trials in late November, Navy officials announced Wednesday.

Top Navy Department officials didn’t know when the U.S. government would formally claim ownership over the Independence, which still technically is the property of a contractor group led by General Dynamics, but that was expected before the end of December.

“The Navy and industry team are justifiably proud of their accomplishments in achieving this major milestone and are excited as Independence and her Navy crews begin the transition to becoming an operational fleet asset,” said Allison Stiller, the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for ship programs, in a meeting with reporters at the Pentagon.

Inspectors with the Board of Inspection and Survey, or InSurv, listed 2,080 “trial cards,” or discrepancies, aboard the Independence, Stiller said, of which 39 were high-priority items known as “starred cards.” None of the regular or starred trial cards was from a problem that can’t be overcome in time for the Navy to accept the ship, said Rear Adm. Bill Landay, the Navy’s program executive officer for ships, who also met with reporters.

Likewise, the mechanical, vibration and temperature problems that the Independence encountered on builder’s trials have been resolved, Landay said, and the flooding in its jet drive room this summer was not a major problem.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/12/navy_lcs2_acceptance_120909w/

[Captain Hilts]

1. These are insanely expensive, vulnerable boondoggles. nt