The US Navy’s newest Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) has completed initial engineering repairs on its propulsion system.
The overhaul programme was initiated after the $360m LCS experienced a loss of propulsion at sea enroute to Little Creek, Virginia, US, in December of last year.
Milwaukee commanding officer commander Kevin Ralston said: "Crew 108 sailors are thrilled to finally arrive in our new homeport and reunite with our families.
"It’s been a long journey to get here, but I couldn’t be happier with my crew’s performance and their efforts to get Milwaukee ready for sea."
The report from a full diagnostics and repair, as recommended by the US Navy, indicated failure of an emergency stop event in response to a loss of fuel pressure to both the port and starboard gas turbine engines that occurred while operating in combined diesel and gas turbine (CODAG) mode.
Earlier, the investigation by the ship’s crew found the cause to be clogging in the port and starboard combining gear filter system due to very fine metallic debris.
Similar debris was also discovered in the metallic debris contamination of the filter.
USS Milwaukee was commissioned on 21 November and was to be homeported in San Diego with sister ships.
Capable of reconfiguring for surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures, the 388ft-long USS Milwaukee is powered by four axial-flow waterjet engines to improve performance.
Mayport will house all eight Freedom-variant littoral combat ships, along with 12 LCS crews.
Image: Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee (LCS 5). Photo: courtesy of US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Schumaker.
