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The Boxer is an amphibious assault craft, which essentially makes it a “small” aircraft carrier (843 feet long!) which not only can carry the usual Harriers, F-35s, and choppers, but good-sized\u00a0 air-cushion landing craft to rapidly deploy Marines as well. These are the odd-looking Wasp-class ships with the lower landing wells, effectively giving them a second launching deck below the flight deck.<\/p>\n
Been a few problems…the USS Bonhomme Richard that burned at dock was one. The Boxer (not, thankfully, named after Barbara – it’s the sixth of the same name) has been docked for repair and refurb for most of the last three years – two years and $200,000,000 worth – and yet ever since has had three “engineering incidents” which kept her from sailing.<\/p>\n
However, a command investigation, released to Military.com via a Freedom of Information Act request, revealed that between January and November 2023, the ship was investigated for at least three different engineering breakdowns that, according to the Boxer’s strike group commander, were “caused by a lack of procedural compliance, substandard supervisory oversight, and general complacency by the crew.”<\/p>\n
The investigation revealed that the ship experienced damage to two “forced draft blowers” on Nov. 8, 2022. A separate investigation into that incident, also provided to Military.com via FOIA request, faulted “poor quality craftsmanship, lack of industry repair skill set\/capabilities” and a “lack of supervisory oversight” from the Navy offices overseeing the work.<\/p>\n
Then, on May 14, 2023, the ship had a “boiler safety” breakdown.<\/p>\n
The last incident revealed in the pair of investigations occurred on July 11, 2023 — just a bit more than two weeks before Abrahamson would claim the ship’s crew was “focused on readiness” and preparing for deployment.<\/p>\n
It found that the ship’s engineers allowed one of the main reduction gears, or MRGs — essentially transmissions from the turbines to the propellers — to turn without any lubrication.Military.com<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
No oil in the ‘transmission’ – that is a 7-8 digit repair. Luckily, some enlisted guy caught it in time and saved the ship. But it ran for 2 hours without any lube…tough unit.<\/p>\n
The Navy is laying it all on the command, especially engineering. First for the blower incident:<\/p>\n
Poor craftsmanship, lack of shipyard repair skill and lack of Navy oversight were among the causes of these failures, the investigation says. KPSB<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Then, after the boiler light-off issue:<\/p>\n
After learning of the incident, the ship’s chief engineer withheld the news from the captain for more than 24 hours, the investigation says.<\/p>\n
The investigating officer writes that “the slow erosion of standards over time \u2026 lack of deck plate procedural compliance, marginalized training, inadequate supervision and lack of adherence to formal written orders” were found among the ship’s engineering crew.\u00a0 KPSB<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
That’s gonna affect a LOT of careers. Sounds like a total breakdown of the entire engineering command – well worth reading.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, we are supposed to have four of these operational – we got two. Marines, your taxi service has problems – is there a naval Uber?<\/p>\n
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