Hydraulic leak slows destroyer’s return

[unhappycamper]

Hydraulic leak slows destroyer’s return
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Dec 7, 2008 12:05:27 EST

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO — The destroyer Howard was in the Indian Ocean with about a month left of its deployment when its problems started.

Hydraulic fluid was leaking from the port shaft, one of two shafts that power the Arleigh Burke-class ship’s four gas turbine engines and twin propellers.

Howard had sailed to Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, and the controllable pitch propulsion system, which helps steer the ship into reverse, had worked fine during five months deployed. But the loss of hydraulic fluid could damage the shaft, causing bigger problems, so the command decided to lock that shaft and protect the machinery.

The ship would continue to operate using only its starboard shaft and a single propeller. Doing so delayed its homecoming, set for Nov. 25, two days before Thanksgiving.

Powered by a single shaft, Howard and its crew of 290 made course for Guam some 5,000 miles away, its speed slowed by 3 or 4 knots, said Lt. Cmdr. Charles Grassi, Howard’s executive officer. Rough seas and strong currents further slowed the ship, but it remained within days of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, which had regrouped for the trek home.


Rest of artiucle at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/12/navy_howard_120708w/%2e

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. "It's?" the Navy Times really used

it's to refer to a ship?

Wow.

I predict letters to the editor over that gaffe.

[sailor65]

2. Yeah, I cringed at that too...

maybe a civilian writer???

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. All of them are, most likely a spellcheck

fubar