Posts Tagged ‘ surface ships – other ’

‘Tugs of the Future’ at Portsmouth Naval Base (click to view larger) The UK is

Visit link: UK MoD Places Order for ‘Tugs of the Future’

Austal MRV/JHSV concept (click to view full) Austal has opened a new high-tech manufacturing facility, completed the Navy’s Production Readiness Review, and just received orders for ships 2 & 3. (Jan 28/10) “ UAVs, Blimps, and HSV-2, Oh My! ” covered the US Army and Navy’s leased Incat TSV/HSV wave-piercing catamaran ship designs, while the Marines’ charged ahead with very successful use of Austal’s Westpac Express high-speed catamaran. These Australian-designed ships all give commanders the ability to roll on a company with full gear and equipment (or roll on a full infantry battalion if used only as a troop transport), haul it intra-theater distances at 38 knots, then move their shallow draft safely into austere ports to roll them off. Unsurprisingly, their use has attracted favorable comment and notice from all services. So favorable that the experiments have led to a $1.6 billion program called the Joint High Speed Vessel , which could involve up to 10 ships. These designs may even have uses beyond simple ferrying and transport. DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record, and this article covers JHSV from its inception onward. The US Military’s HSV/TSV Experience The JHSV Program Contracts & Key Events Additional Readings & Sources (more…)

See the rest here: JHSV Fast Catamaran Transport Program Moves Forward

“Need a tow?” (click to view full) In March 2005, “ Cost Overruns, Budget Uncertainties Hurting USN and Contractors ” noted: “With the help of a $50 million grant from the state of Louisiana, Northrop Grumman has modernized production at Avondale, and the company is now projecting completion of future amphibious ships at a much faster pace than in the past. Nevertheless, scathing Navy inspector general reviews that detailed shoddy construction and basic workmanship problems at Avondale are cause for legitimate concern in areas that will not be fixed by modernization alone.” While some teething problems are not uncommon for first ships of a new class, USS San Antonio [LPD 17] stands out for their number and severity. All in a ship whose costs rose from about $700 million when the program was sold, to over $1.7 billion – then stayed at that drastically elevated level through subsequent vessels. Worse, LPD 17 failed to complete a series of sea trials in late March 2007, and could not be sea-tested during a 5-day inspection period because one of its two steering systems completely failed. Navy inspectors found major defects in 3 of 17 categories, and the ship required millions more in repairs. In August 2008, after 2 failed INSURV inspections and 2.5 years after the Navy had officially accepted LPD 17 from the contractor, the first San Antonio Class ship was deployed on an operational mission. Whereupon it sprung oil leaks, and had to dock in Bahrain. Now, problems with USS New York [LPD 21] reportedly have the US Navy scrutinizing every ship build in the class’ 2 shipyards… (more…)

Read more: LPD-17 Reliability Issues Surface Again

Damen’s JSS concept Damen Schelde recently announced a contract from the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation to build a 28,000t “Joint Logistic Support Ship” (JSS), which is scheduled to launch in 2014 and replace the existing 16,900t HNLMS Zuiderkruis . The Dutch want a very versatile ship that can resupply other warships, transport significant numbers of army equipment and vehicles, act as a floating headquarters, take on hospital duties, and embark up to 6 helicopters. Price was not disclosed, but that level of versatility will come with costs. Canada’s ill-fated JSS program had similar or larger ambitions, but the 3-ship, C$ 2.9 billion program was ultimately suspended when contractors informed the government that they could not supply what Canada wanted at the prices demanded. With respect to the Dutch design… (more…)

Read this article: Dutch Order Multi-Purpose Support Ship

USNS Bob Hope [T-AKR 300] (click to view full) American Overseas Marine in Quincy, MA received a $27.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for the operation and maintenance of 7 government-owned Bob Hope-class large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships (LMSRs). This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $238.2 million. These civilian-crewed ships have more than 380,000 square feet of cargo-carrying capacity (equivalent to 5 football fields), reinforced decks, shipboard cranes, interior ramps, slewing stern ramp and a movable ramp that services 2 side ports; they are used for fast loading and off-loading of out-sized military equipment, including tanks, trucks, Humvees and other rolling stock… (more…)

See the original post: Up to $238.2M to American Overseas Marine for Cargo Ship Maintenance

LPD-17 cutaway (click to view full) LPD-17 San Antonio class amphibious assault support vessels are just entering service with the US Navy. Between 10-12 scheduled ships of this new class are slated to assume the functional duties of up to 41 previous ships. Much like their smaller predecessors, their mission is to embark, transport, land, and support elements of a US Marine Corps Landing Force. What changes are the ships’ size, their cost, and the capabilities and technologies used to perform those missions. Among other additions, this new ship is designed to operate accompanying platforms like the Marines’ MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle amphibious armored personnel carrier. While its design incorporates notable advances, the San Antonio Class has also had its share of teething problems. So, too, has the New Orleans shipyard to which most of this contract has been assigned. The number of serious issues encountered in this ship class have been much higher than usual, and more extensive. The initial ships have been criticized for sub-standard workmanship, and it took 2 1/2 years after the initial ship of class was delivered and accepted before any ship of class was sent on an operational cruise. Whereupon the USS San Antonio promptly found itself laid up Bahrain due to oil leaks. Meanwhile, costs are almost twice the originally promised amounts at over $1.7 billion per ship – 2 to 3 times as much as many foreign LPD classes, and more than 10 times as much as Singapore’s 6,600 ton Endeavour Class LPD . DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This is DID’s FOCUS Article for the San Antonio Class, detailing the ships’ unique features and capabilities, its program innovations and issues, ship timelines, and related contracts throughout the program’s history. As has become DID custom, the most recent additions are highlighted in green type. The latest developments include problems with the LPD 21 New York now, which contains steel from the destroyed World Trade Center… LPD-17 San Antonio Class: Capabilities and Features LPD-17 San Antonio Class: Process & Issues LPD-17 San Antonio Class: Program, Budgets & Timelines [updated] LPD-17 San Antonio Class: Contracts and Events (1996-Present) [updated] Appendix A: Additional Readings & Sources – LPD-17 Ship Class Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources – News and Views (more…)

Read more: LPD-17 San Antonio Class: The USA’s New Amphibious Ships (updated)

Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit in Charlottesville, VA received a $10.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N65540-06-D-0009) for engineering and technical services and equipment in support of Sperry Marine-manufactured integrated bridge systems and steering/ ship control systems installed on US Navy vessels and at land-based test facilities. The work will involve analysis, repair, alteration, maintenance, and production improvement on existing integrated bridge systems and steering/ ship control systems… (more…)

More: Sperry Gets $10.9M Order to Support US Navy Integrated Bridge Systems

Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit in Charlottesville, VA received a follow-on contract to provide performance-based logistics (PBL) support for navigation and steering systems installed on US Navy surface ships and submarines. The contract was awarded by Naval Inventory Control Point in Mechanicsburg, PA exercising a 3-year option on a previously awarded 5-year PBL contract. The total value of the 3-year contract is $42 million… (more…)

See the rest here: $42M to Sperry Marine for PBL Support for US Navy Steering, Navigation Systems

The mission of the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) is to support US forces by delivering supplies and conducting specialized missions across the world’s oceans. The command operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed US forces and coalition partners. To keep those ships sailing, the MSC awards contracts for ship overhaul and maintenance on a regular basis

Originally posted here:
Up to $18.7M in Military Sealift Command Ship Overhaul Work

Invasion of Inchon during the Korean War (click to view larger) Pushed to the edge of the Korean penisula by a massive and sustained invasion by the North Korean army, South Korean, US, and UN troops dug in at a perimeter around the city of Pusan. It was the the summer of 1950 and things looked desparate for the allied forces. Then, US General Douglas MacArthur launched a bold counteroffensive – an amphibious landing at the port of Inchon near the 38th parallel. The landing was successful, MacArthur retook South Korea’s capital city of Seoul. The South Korean and allied forces broke through at Pusan and the North Korean army beat a hasty retreat. The tide of the Korean war had turned.

Read more:
Storming the Beaches: US Navy’s ACU-1 Craft Get Engine Overhaul