CO: LPD 17 performing well on 1st cruise

[unhappycamper]

CO: LPD 17 performing well on 1st cruise
By Philip Ewing - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 3, 2008 17:30:46 EDT

After a torturous journey from the shipyard to its first deployment in August, the amphibious transport dock San Antonio has successfully performed so far on its maiden cruise, the ship’s captain said Friday.

“The ship is doing very well ... and the crew is doing even better. It’s operating as we were designed to operate,” said Cmdr. Kurt Kastner.

Kastner spoke from aboard the San Antonio, at sea in the 5th Fleet area of operations, in a conference call with reporters that was intended to make the case that the gator left behind its problems at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. The San Antonio has had no major difficulties since its crew repaired its broken stern gate, which delayed the ship’s departure by two days.

“The weekend before we sailed, we were conducting some routine maintenance, which we thought was prudent to do to prolong the life of the stern gate, and we found some issues,” Kastner said. “They’ve been fixed, and the stern gate has operated smoothly and efficiently since we’ve gotten under way.”

The ship used its well deck to take aboard elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, N.C., soon after it sailed, but hasn’t used it again so far on this cruise. Kastner said the ship will next use its well deck in a few weeks to offload some of the 4.9 million pounds’ worth of Marine Corps gear it’s carrying.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/navy_lpd17_cruise_100308w/%2e



uhc comment: I'd agree with the "torturous journey" comment - it's been eight years since the keel was laid down --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_San_Antonio