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September 3, 2014
USN inspecting Block III Virginia-class submarines for defects
Grace Jean
Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Navy International
Key Points
* Navy officials are inspecting components on Block III Virginia-class
submarines under construction
* A total of 58 components were investigated on board Block III lead boat
North Dakota (SSN 784)
Programme officials are inspecting six more Virginia-class nuclear-powered
attack submarines (SSNs) under construction following the discovery of
materiel problems on board the lead Block III boat, US Navy (USN)
acquisition command officials and industry representatives confirmed to IHS
Jane's on 27 August.
Issues found in the materiel of vendor-assembled and delivered components on
North Dakota (SSN 784) - the first of eight Block III boats - caused the USN
to delay the submarine's planned May 2014 commissioning so that repairs
could be completed and reviewed.
A total of 58 components, including stern planes and rudder rams,
retractable bow plane cylinders, hydraulic accumulators, high-pressure air
charging manifolds, torpedo tube interlocks and shaft/link assemblies, and
weapons shipping and handling mechanisms were investigated on board the
boat.
"To date, all necessary inboard and outboard components have been inspected
and all required repairs have been completed," said Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) spokesperson Colleen O'Rourke. "All other Block III
submarines are being inspected and any issues found will be adjudicated."
Being built under a teaming arrangement by General Dynamics Electric Boat
(GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding,
the third batch of Virginia-class boats were partially redesigned in an
effort to reduce acquisition cost. The redesigned bow includes a new Large
Aperture Bow array and two 87-inch Virginia Payload Tubes that each launch
six Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.
The issues discovered on board North Dakota are understood to be partly
related to the redesigned bow introduced with the Block III design.
"There were two separate issues with PCU North Dakota ," O'Rourke said. "The
first was a materiel issue dealing specifically with vendor-assembled and
delivered components and was not specifically associated with the bow
redesign .... The second, unrelated, issue established the need for
additional design and certification work on the submarine's redesigned bow.
Upon satisfactory completion of their independent investigation, NAVSEA
concluded that North Dakota 's Virginia Payload Tube (VPT) system was
fabricated in accordance with the approved design and satisfactorily tested
in support of sea trials."
According to a NAVSEA press release, the materiel issue in North Dakota 's
vendor-assembled and delivered components needed an unplanned dry-docking to
correct. The boat was first floated on 15 September 2013, with its handover
at the time planned for February 2014 ahead of a May 2014 commissioning.
Products associated with the vendor-assembled and delivered components were
delivered to the shipyards based upon installation timing, Kurt Hesch,
vice-president and Virginia programme manager at GDEB, told IHS Jane's on 27
August.
"Items that were already installed in Block III ships were inspected and
repaired if necessary. These ships were earlier in the construction cycle
and not yet in the water, making the re-work less disruptive," he said.
"Vendor products not yet installed are being re-evaluated in the shops at
the shipbuilder or at the supplier, with shipbuilder oversight. The work is
continuing based on schedule priority and replacement part availability."
Similar issues have been identified on other Block III submarines, but not
to the same extent as those on North Dakota , O'Rourke told IHS Jane's on 26
August. "To date, inspections have been completed on North Dakota and PCU
John Warner (SSN 785). Inspections on all other Block III submarines are
ongoing and will be completed before delivery," she said.
Because the investigation is continuing, the navy declined to comment on
accountability measures.
IHS Jane's asked GDEB to comment on the additional design and certification
work on North Dakota 's bow and how it might affect the remaining Block III
boats, but company officials declined to comment further.
In mid-August all eight Block III boats were under construction, with North
Dakota more than 99% complete. John Warner , the second Block III boat, is
more than 90% complete, according to data provided by HII.
The remaining six boats in the batch are in build, with Illinois (SSN 786)
77.3% complete; Washington (SSN 787) 63.8%; Colorado (SSN 788) 53.7%;
Indiana (SSN 789) 39.4%; South Dakota (SSN 790) 27.7%; and Delaware (SSN
791) 15.7% complete. Collectively, the third batch of boats is 60.4%
complete.
North Dakota - the USN's 11th Virginia-class submarine - was handed over to
the USN on 29 August, two days before its contractual delivery date of 31
August 2014. Its commissioning is scheduled for 25 October.
The boat completed its second set of initial sea trials in the Atlantic in
mid-August, according to GDEB in Groton, Connecticut, where it was
assembled. As well, the navy's Board of Inspection and Survey completed
combined trials on 23 August, Hesch told IHS Jane's . In a press release
announcing the boat's delivery, GDEB stated that North Dakota "received the
highest quality score to date from the Navy Board of Inspection and Survey"
and was delivered "on time and more than USD30 million below target cost".
The USN is acquiring a 30-boat Virginia class to replace its Los
Angeles-class fast-attack submarines; 10 Virginia-class boats are currently
operating.
USN officials and the two shipbuilders signed a block-buy contract on 28
April 2014 for 10 Block IV Virginia-class submarines. Construction on the
first boat, SSN 792, began on 1 May. Production of the second boat in the
batch is expected to start on 30 September.
September 3, 2014
USN inspecting Block III Virginia-class submarines for defects
Grace Jean
Washington, DC - IHS Jane's Navy International
Key Points
* Navy officials are inspecting components on Block III Virginia-class
submarines under construction
* A total of 58 components were investigated on board Block III lead boat
North Dakota (SSN 784)
Programme officials are inspecting six more Virginia-class nuclear-powered
attack submarines (SSNs) under construction following the discovery of
materiel problems on board the lead Block III boat, US Navy (USN)
acquisition command officials and industry representatives confirmed to IHS
Jane's on 27 August.
Issues found in the materiel of vendor-assembled and delivered components on
North Dakota (SSN 784) - the first of eight Block III boats - caused the USN
to delay the submarine's planned May 2014 commissioning so that repairs
could be completed and reviewed.
A total of 58 components, including stern planes and rudder rams,
retractable bow plane cylinders, hydraulic accumulators, high-pressure air
charging manifolds, torpedo tube interlocks and shaft/link assemblies, and
weapons shipping and handling mechanisms were investigated on board the
boat.
"To date, all necessary inboard and outboard components have been inspected
and all required repairs have been completed," said Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) spokesperson Colleen O'Rourke. "All other Block III
submarines are being inspected and any issues found will be adjudicated."
Being built under a teaming arrangement by General Dynamics Electric Boat
(GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding,
the third batch of Virginia-class boats were partially redesigned in an
effort to reduce acquisition cost. The redesigned bow includes a new Large
Aperture Bow array and two 87-inch Virginia Payload Tubes that each launch
six Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles.
The issues discovered on board North Dakota are understood to be partly
related to the redesigned bow introduced with the Block III design.
"There were two separate issues with PCU North Dakota ," O'Rourke said. "The
first was a materiel issue dealing specifically with vendor-assembled and
delivered components and was not specifically associated with the bow
redesign .... The second, unrelated, issue established the need for
additional design and certification work on the submarine's redesigned bow.
Upon satisfactory completion of their independent investigation, NAVSEA
concluded that North Dakota 's Virginia Payload Tube (VPT) system was
fabricated in accordance with the approved design and satisfactorily tested
in support of sea trials."
According to a NAVSEA press release, the materiel issue in North Dakota 's
vendor-assembled and delivered components needed an unplanned dry-docking to
correct. The boat was first floated on 15 September 2013, with its handover
at the time planned for February 2014 ahead of a May 2014 commissioning.
Products associated with the vendor-assembled and delivered components were
delivered to the shipyards based upon installation timing, Kurt Hesch,
vice-president and Virginia programme manager at GDEB, told IHS Jane's on 27
August.
"Items that were already installed in Block III ships were inspected and
repaired if necessary. These ships were earlier in the construction cycle
and not yet in the water, making the re-work less disruptive," he said.
"Vendor products not yet installed are being re-evaluated in the shops at
the shipbuilder or at the supplier, with shipbuilder oversight. The work is
continuing based on schedule priority and replacement part availability."
Similar issues have been identified on other Block III submarines, but not
to the same extent as those on North Dakota , O'Rourke told IHS Jane's on 26
August. "To date, inspections have been completed on North Dakota and PCU
John Warner (SSN 785). Inspections on all other Block III submarines are
ongoing and will be completed before delivery," she said.
Because the investigation is continuing, the navy declined to comment on
accountability measures.
IHS Jane's asked GDEB to comment on the additional design and certification
work on North Dakota 's bow and how it might affect the remaining Block III
boats, but company officials declined to comment further.
In mid-August all eight Block III boats were under construction, with North
Dakota more than 99% complete. John Warner , the second Block III boat, is
more than 90% complete, according to data provided by HII.
The remaining six boats in the batch are in build, with Illinois (SSN 786)
77.3% complete; Washington (SSN 787) 63.8%; Colorado (SSN 788) 53.7%;
Indiana (SSN 789) 39.4%; South Dakota (SSN 790) 27.7%; and Delaware (SSN
791) 15.7% complete. Collectively, the third batch of boats is 60.4%
complete.
North Dakota - the USN's 11th Virginia-class submarine - was handed over to
the USN on 29 August, two days before its contractual delivery date of 31
August 2014. Its commissioning is scheduled for 25 October.
The boat completed its second set of initial sea trials in the Atlantic in
mid-August, according to GDEB in Groton, Connecticut, where it was
assembled. As well, the navy's Board of Inspection and Survey completed
combined trials on 23 August, Hesch told IHS Jane's . In a press release
announcing the boat's delivery, GDEB stated that North Dakota "received the
highest quality score to date from the Navy Board of Inspection and Survey"
and was delivered "on time and more than USD30 million below target cost".
The USN is acquiring a 30-boat Virginia class to replace its Los
Angeles-class fast-attack submarines; 10 Virginia-class boats are currently
operating.
USN officials and the two shipbuilders signed a block-buy contract on 28
April 2014 for 10 Block IV Virginia-class submarines. Construction on the
first boat, SSN 792, began on 1 May. Production of the second boat in the
batch is expected to start on 30 September.