Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
General Dynamics NASSCO Starts Construction of the Future USNS William McLean
Source: General Dynamics NASSCO
SAN DIEGO --- General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, today began construction of the future USNS William McLean, the twelfth ship of the U.S. Navy's T-AKE program. The William McLean is named in honor of the Navy physicist who conceived and developed the heat-seeking Sidewinder missile. The ship is scheduled to be delivered to the Navy in the third quarter of 2011.
The T-AKE ship incorporates international marine technologies and commercial ship-design features, including an integrated electric-drive propulsion system to minimize operating costs over its projected 40-year service life. The primary mission of T-AKE ships is to deliver as much as 10,000 tons of food, ammunition, fuel and other provisions to combat ships at sea.
NASSCO has delivered the first eight T-AKEs, which are also known as Lewis and Clark-class ships. The shipyard also has construction contracts for four additional T-AKEs and long-lead material contracts for two more ships for a total class of 14 ships.
General Dynamics NASSCO employs more than 4,500 people and is the only major ship construction yard on the West Coast of the United States. In addition to T-AKE construction, the San Diego shipyard is also building three commercial product carriers for American Petroleum Tankers, a shipbuilding joint venture led by the Blackstone Financial Group
HDW and HSY Cancel Shipbuilding Contracts
Source: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems
HAMBURG, Germany / SKARAMANGAS, Greece --- Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW), Kiel, Germany, and Hellenic Shipyards S.A. (HSY), Skaramangas, Athens, today cancelled the construction programs signed with the Greek defense ministry in 2000 and 2002.
The first contract involves the construction of four Class U214 submarines with air-independent fuel cell propulsion for the Hellenic Navy (“Archimedes” program). Construction of all four submarines is now complete.
The second contract (“Neptun II”) involves the modernization of three Class 209 submarines, likewise through conversion to fuel cell technology.
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft and Hellenic Shipyards offered the first Class 214 submarine, the PAPANIKOLIS, to the Greek client for acceptance back in 2006. The client did not accept the vessel, even though it met and in some cases clearly exceeded all specified performance requirements.
The outstanding payments now amount to 524 million euros. Of this amount, around 300 million euros is due to HSY. As a result, our client, the Greek defense ministry, is in default of its contractual obligations.
Over a period of more than two years HDW and HSY have held numerous discussions with the Greek government, but these have not led to a solution. For HDW and HSY, continuing the contract is no longer economically justifiable.
Following cancellation by HDW, HSY has exercised its right of cancellation due to default of payment. With the cancellation by HDW, HSY lost the main technology supplier essential for fulfilling the construction programs.
HDW and HSY intend to file for arbitration.
Since the acquisition of Hellenic Shipyards in January 2005, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has modernized and expanded HSY. Today, Greece’s largest shipyard boasts the most advanced production facilities for conventional submarines in the Mediterranean region.
BACKGROUND NOTES (from Hellenic Shipyards)
In February 2000 HSY undertook as Prime Contractor the procurement of four (4) class 214 submarines. This is the most advanced conventional submarine in the world and the Greek State was the first in the world to order it. The contract award provided for the building of the first submarine at HDW’s Kiel yard and for the building of the other three (3) submarines in Greece at HSY premises.
Submarine construction at HSY started in 2002-following the investments for the creation of the necessary infrastructure- while the first Kiel-built submarine, named PAPANIKOLIS was launched in Kiel, Germany on April 2004.
Further to the class 214 Program, in 2002, HSY was also awarded by HMOD the contract for the Mid Life Modernization and repair of three (3) type 209 HN Submarines (Neptune II Program).
HMS Bounty
Today’s website is HMS Bounty. The Bounty was built in 1960 for MGM studios' Mutiny on the Bounty with Marlon Brando. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1914 - USS Jupiter (AC 3) is first Navy ship to complete transit of the Panama Canal.
1944 - Aircraft from Carrier Task Force 38 attack Formosa.
1957 - Rear Adm. G.J. Dufek arrives at McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, to command Operation Deep Freeze III during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58.
1961 - A five-man cholera treatment demonstration team from Naval Medical Research Unit, Taipei, leaves to assist setting up of facilities to treat an epidemic in Manila.
1965 - Project Sealab II, a project where teams of naval divers and scientists spent 15 days in Sealab, moored 205 feet below surface near La Jolla, Calif, comes to an end.
1965 - First group of men commissioned into the Navy Nurse Corps reports for a one-month indoctrination to naval service.
1980 - USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) and other ships of Amphibious Forces 6th Fleet begin assisting earthquake victims in Al Asnam, Algeria.
2000 - Terrorists in a boat make a suicide attack on USS Cole (DDG 67) while the ship refuels in the port of Aden, Yemen. Seventeen Sailors are killed.
Photo of the Day
The new HMS Bounty underway.
Gator
