Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Investigation into pipe welds from Newport News yard widened

Updated 12/19@5pm

I guest the question is...why couldn’t it be sabotage of some type?

Are there any difference between using the fillers...like could there be an advantage of some type with copper-nickel filler...is it easier to weld or quicker.

Was there a shortage of the stainless steal filler or was it more expensive...thus you gain some type of advantage...was there a production problem with the stainless steel filler?


http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-now-northgrum.1219,0,7482497.story

Navy probe of weld problems expands
By PETER FROST
757-247-4744
3:28 PM EST, December 19, 2007
NEWPORT NEWS

All vessels constructed or serviced by Northrop Grumman Newport News since 2000 will be included as part of an ongoing probe of welding errors on submarines and aircraft carriers, the U.S. Navy said Wednesday.The Navy will complete an initial assessment of critical welds on all interior, non-nuclear pipes in at least 17 vessels affected later this month. The investigation also will be expanded to include other surface ships that have been serviced by the yard in the past seven-plus years. Included in the investigation are at least seven aircraft carriers, six Virginia-class submarines, three Los Angeles-class subs and a Navy cruiser.


Notice, they don’t tell what systems are involved...like any of the seawater systems?



Investigation into pipe welds from Newport News yard widened
NEWPORT NEWS

An investigation of faulty pipe welds on Virginia-class submarines assembled at Northrop Grumman Newport News has been broadened to include aircraft carriers and another class of submarines.

The assessment will cover non-nuclear piping systems on carriers and subs repaired and built by shipyard workers in recent years, shipyard and Navy officials said Monday.

The first indication of a problem came in August, when a piping weld failed during routine testing of the New Hampshire, now under construction in Groton, Conn., at General Dynamics Electric Boat, which is teamed with Northrop Grumman to assemble the subs. When a second weld failed in October, Navy officials launched an investigation.

Since then, the Navy has found at least one faulty or suspect weld on three additional Virginia-class submarines - the Virginia, the Texas and the New Mexico. No welds have failed on the three subs now in service, including the first-in-class Virginia.

2 comments:

Mike Mulligan said...

So what is really bothering you?

Mike Mulligan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.