ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s program workplace for amphibious connectors is assured it could get its Ship to Shore Connector manufacturing line as much as the specified four-a-year supply charge in 2022 — regardless of previous technical issues that led to manufacturing line slowdowns.
Capt. Scot Searles, the amphibious assault and connectors program supervisor, mentioned final week the Navy and contractor Textron resolved a earlier problem with micro cracks within the SSC composite blades by way of each modifications to the blades and the software program that controls them.
In keeping with a fiscal 2019 Chosen Acquisition Report, builders trials on SSC Craft 100 started in June 2019, and technical considerations with the blades rapidly arose. Trials within the “loaded” configuration, with 74 tons of cargo on the craft, led to “in depth propeller blade cracking.” The next acceptance trials have been carried out that 12 months with none cargo on the craft whereas the Navy-industry crew sought an answer.
Searles mentioned throughout a Jan. 12 briefing on the annual Floor Navy Affiliation convention this system workplace and Textron carried out in depth research in 2020 to grasp the character of the micro cracking within the blades and why it occurred. They developed two options, one to strengthen the present blade design and one other to change the propeller management software program.
Each fixes have been backfit onto the 4 craft which were delivered and have been inserted into the manufacturing line, he mentioned. “We consider we’ve retired this problem with these two fixes.”
Nonetheless, work is ongoing to search for alternate blade designs that may be cheaper over the lifetime of the craft, he mentioned. The present repair includes at the least 4 modifications throughout the propeller fan.
Because the Navy and Textron labored by way of this problem, Textron delivered simply two craft to the Navy in 2020 and two in 2021. Searles mentioned this system needs to be at a four-a-year supply charge and would doubtless hit that tempo this 12 months, with the blade points now previously.
“We’ve bought a pleasant full manufacturing line now, so the pump is totally primed and now there’s not something backing it up on the exit,” he instructed Protection Information on the briefing. “I feel we’ll get to 4 this 12 months — if not, it will likely be three with one which simply barely misses being on this 12 months.”
“I’d count on to see that going ahead at a really regular charge,” Searles added.
Amid these challenges, the general value of this system rose sufficient to set off a Nunn-McCurdy breach in 2021, although Naval Sea Methods Command instructed Protection Information on the time this system value improve was a results of the first-in-class craft’s issues and this system had since stabilized.
So far, the 4 delivered craft have all gone to the Naval Floor Warfare Middle Panama Metropolis Division in Florida for take a look at and analysis work. They’ve contributed to testing involving upkeep and sustainment, seashore landings, automobile interface testing with the vans they’d haul from ship to shore, a managed harm take a look at to see how they maintain as much as a close-by mine explosion and extra.
They’ve but to do a reside properly deck take a look at, although. Searles mentioned the primary properly deck operation is deliberate for February with amphibious dock touchdown ship Carter Corridor.
With main take a look at occasions achieved, Searles mentioned the main focus is on fielding the subsequent craft off the meeting line to operational models. Assault Craft Unit 4 in Little Creek, Va., will get the craft first to organize for preliminary operational functionality in 2023 and the unit’s first deployment.
Later craft will go to ACU 5 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Naval Seashore Unit 7 in Yokosuka, Japan.
Searles instructed Protection Information the craft have solely been operated by civilians and by ACU 4 sailors who got here to Panama Metropolis for take a look at occasions — however by no means by a fleet unit for coaching and deployment preparation.
Noting the fleet operators would view the SSC craft from a distinct perspective because the civilian testers, Searles mentioned that over the subsequent 12 months or so “the large problem we’re going to see is, how rapidly can we shut that suggestions loop — as we take a look at the craft and we discover out issues about reliability, maintainability, sustainability — we’ve bought to in a short time pivot and get these issues again into the manufacturing line.”
“In any other case, on the charge of 4 per 12 months, you’ll have a complete bunch already on the market earlier than you’ve integrated a single repair,” he continued. “How will we get ramped as much as an excellent supply charge, keep that, however not sacrifice incorporating suggestions?”
The Navy has put the primary 24 craft on contract with Textron by way of two contracts up to now. A request for proposals for a 3rd contract will exit this 12 months, Searles mentioned, noting the Navy continues to be refining its acquisition technique for future craft. The service plans to purchase 72 to exchange the growing older LCACs within the fleet.
Megan Eckstein is the naval warfare reporter at Protection Information. She has lined army information since 2009, with a concentrate on U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operations, acquisition packages, and budgets. She has reported from 4 geographic fleets and is happiest when she’s submitting tales from a ship. Megan is a College of Maryland alumna.