USS Montgomery suffers cracked hull......again

The USS Montgomery, LCS-8, has already had a hell of a history since entering service in September. On September 13th, after leaving Mobile for San Diego, she suffered a seawater leak in the hydraulic cooling system, within 24 hours, she suffered a casualty to one of her gas turbine engines. On October 4th, she was in Mayport, and sortied to get out ahead of Hurricane Matthew. While leaving the quay the harbor pilot requested extra tugs to come along the starboard side of the ship and push her farther from the wall. The aft tug hit hard along the hull, and put a foot long crack along a weld seam. She took on a gallon of water every three minutes until crew could patch the crack.

In her latest fun, while transiting the Panama Canal, again under control of a local pilot, she impacted the center lock wall, suffering an 18 inch long crack between the port quarter and transom plate. The crack is above the waterline, and she's not taking on any water this time. She's continuing her transit, and will arrive at San Diego next month, where she'll undergo repairs.

Last weekend, the Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Montgomery does not seem to be able to catch a break. According to the U.S. Navy’s Third Fleet, the newly commissioned warship suffered damage while transiting the Panama Canal en route to San Diego—the third hull or engineering casualty since the ship entered service in September 2016.

“On Oct. 29 USS Montgomery (LCS-8) sustained damage to her hull while transiting Southbound through the Gatun and Pedro Miguel locks of the Panama Canal,” the U.S. Navy said in a press release, published by USNI News. “Under control of the local Panama Canal Pilot, the ship impacted the center lock wall and sustained an 18-inch-long crack between her port quarter and transom plates.”

According to the U.S. Navy, the crack is located above the waterline and poses no water intrusion or stability risk. Furthermore, the crack has not impacted the USS Montgomery’s transit schedule, the U.S. Navy notes. “The ship has continued her transit as scheduled, has now exited the Panama Canal and is expected to arrive at her new homeport of San Diego next month.”

thediplomat.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Was it made in China?

a reply to: Zaphod58
Oops, they might want to carry a few drums of JB Weld for those times.


Seriously, that seems like a very fragile hull, I wonder if it is due to the aluminum alone or if it is getting hit along some of those angular surfaces that I've seen in photos of the boat.

Four hundred odd feet long and a hundred feet wide.....don't sound like an 18 inch crack is too serial.....she sure is a hard chined looking girl....should make her a steady platform...

a reply to: evc1shop

The initial crack would have been right near where the point on the aft hull, about halfway down is, probably just below there. That hit also bent five stringers. The latest crack is 8-10 feet above the waterline.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Are you freakin' kidding me? Again?

How many is this now?

These things are big ol' white elephants in haze gray. Somebody needs to lose their job, many somebodies.

a reply to: Snippythehorse

This one isn't, as it's well above the waterline. The first crack was below the waterline and she took on a good bit of water before they stopped the leak.

a reply to: seagull

Well, to be fair, two of these problems aren't the ships fault. They were under control of the local pilots at the time, and one was probably the fault of the tug captain, for closing in too fast.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: evc1shop

The initial crack would have been right near where the point on the aft hull, about halfway down is, probably just below there. That hit also bent five stringers. The latest crack is 8-10 feet above the waterline.

Ah, Okay, I will look at some photos and educate myself a bit.

Are these ships supposed to be able to handle combat duty or are they just for delivering the mail?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Seems a bit fragile though. My uneducated opinion of course.

Certainly is a hard luck ship.

the LC classes is evidence of what trying to cut man power and resources can result in.

hopefully the new DDGs dont share similar fate.

a reply to: evc1shop

Currently they're only for hauling the mail. Eventually they'll have at least some combat systems on them.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: evc1shop

Currently they're only for hauling the mail. Eventually they'll have at least some combat systems on them.

Understood.
My brother was in the Navy on sub duties and he really had a thing for sea trials and I always told him he was crazy.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Sounds like the old HMAS Melbourne. Jinx ship.

Kind regards,

Bally

a reply to: Zaphod58

If you cannot bounce a tug off it, cannot get away with some harbour wall impact at relatively low speeds, cannot fart too hard or too close to the hull, without putting a damned hole in it, the thing is not what I would call a battle ready vessel. I expect better performance out of bloody fibreglass than that, leave alone metal.

Bloody ridiculous. What is an RPG going to do to that, assuming the vessel is swarmed by small boats? What is a nearby artillery strike going to do, any nearby explosion? Hell, a big, fast wave? It does not bare thinking about!

Littoral Combat ships are intended to be operated close to shore, right?

Where things like rocks, piers, small boats, and all manner of other obstructions are common?

So naturally they designed a boat whose hull is apparently made from a giant eggshell.

Forget missiles. The enemy could probably sink it with medieval catapults

"...Panama Canal pilot at the helm at the time..."

This is why I never valet park my car anymore.

"Apologies, sir. That should buff right out"... likely doesn't apply to an 18 inch crack in the hull.

so, if this thing is ever involved in a shooting war we can assume that it will basically just fall apart when hit by enemy fire.
I wonder if it has one of those " proudly made in the U.S.A." stickers on it. such a waste of money.

a reply to: Tardacus
Those stickers might be the only thing that holds it together if it gets into a real fight.

I think they recycled the steel left over from the Titanic.

Where's Jack and Rose when you need them.