By Geoff Fein
The USS Freedom (LCS-1) will be heading into a dry-dock for five days to repair the starboard boost water jet, according to the Navy.
The problem was discovered upon Freedom‘s return from her first deployment and coincides with the scheduled maintenance availability, Lt. Cmdr. Chris Servello, a service spokesman, told Defense Daily yesterday.
Freedom, built by a Lockheed Martin [LMT]-led team, will be dry-docked at General Dynamics‘ [GD] NASSCO Shipyard in San Diego, Servello noted.
It will go to NASSCO on Saturday and spend five days as crews repair the Rolls Royce–Kamewa built water jet.
Servello said the Navy is still working out the cost figures for the repair.
This is the six-week period for other maintenance, Servello said, per the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) concept of operations. The additional work now needed should have no impact on LCS’ commitment to participate in the Canadian fleet Review, scheduled for mid-June, or the Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise slated to begin June 23.