By Geoff Fein
The USS Freedom (LCS-1) began her second round of acceptance trials this week to test out systems the ship’s crew were unable to demonstrate during Freedom‘s transit in the Great Lakes.
LCS-1 came through its first round of acceptance trials receiving fewer trial cards than many first of class surface combatants get during their Navy Board of Inspection (InSurv) test (Defense Daily, Aug. 28).
“AT 2 will test ships systems deferred during the first round of acceptance trials on Lake Michigan because of operational restrictions and limitations.,” Lt. Clayton Doss, a Navy spokesman, told Defense Daily yesterday.
This week the gold crew will test Freedom‘s guns, discharge system and capabilities that can only be tested in salt water, Doss said.
“Operational restrictions and limitations associated with the first round of acceptance trials in Lake Michigan prevented us from completing demonstrations of several ship systems last year. Specifically: Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) must be tested at a sufficient distance from land, which was not possible in the Great Lakes; Treaty Limitations prevent ordnance firings in the Great Lakes region, preventing live fire,” Doss said. “The zero overboard discharge requirements in the Great Lakes prevented complete demonstration of AFFF, Sewage, Oily Waste, and Gray Water systems; Certain demonstrations cannot be suitably performed in fresh water, such as Cathodic Protection, Degaussing, and Reverse Osmosis Units.”
In addition to these tests, select systems that were not evaluated during the first acceptance trials, such as aviation support, launch handling and recovery, fin stabilizers, extended full power trial, will also be demonstrated, he added.
The Navy had hoped to complete this second round of acceptance trials in April. However, an issue with the number three ship service diesel generator delayed the test period to this week, Doss said.
The diesel generator had been swapped out before Freedom‘s port-of-call in Alexandria, Va., earlier this month.
“During sea trials following the ship’s Industrial Post Delivery Availability, the ship suffered a casualty to the number three Ship Service Diesel Generator. The engine was replaced under warranty by the manufacturer prior to the ship getting underway for Alexandria, and the cause of the failure is being assessed,” Doss said earlier this month.
Additionally, during her transit to Alexandria for a public open house, Freedom suffered a “minor engineering casualty,” the Navy added, that was unrelated to the ship service diesel generator issue. The problem led to a shutdown of the gas turbines. The issue was quickly resolved, however, but not before VIPs, including several lawmakers, had to be ferried to shore to meet prior commitments, the Navy said (Defense Daily, May 11).
The Navy commissioned Freedom in November 2008.
Freedom was built by a team led by Lockheed Martin [LMT]. A team led by General Dynamics [GD] is currently finishing work on Independence (LCS-2). Both teams recently signed contracts for an additional LCS each.