Engineers are still trying to determine root causes of engine and drivetrain issues that have stopped the navy from being able to refuel warships at sea.
Already a subscriber?Both of the navy’s $1.2 billion supply ships will be out of action until early next year as engineers struggle to identify the cause of defects that have crippled the new vessels for months.
Navantia declined to comment, but industry sources said the shipbuilder had disputed the navy’s claim that manufacturing faults had caused the problems, instead suggesting maintenance practices by sailors needed examining. To Admiral Hammond’s annoyance, a replacement shaft that could have been used to more quickly fix HMAS Supply has suffered corrosion damage because it was stored incorrectly.
The problem with HMAS Stalwart, which is based at Perth’s naval base, is the premature wearing of bearings inside its diesel engines, which are made by German firm MAN Diesel. The faulty bearings may have been responsible for damaging a 5-metre crankshaft, which needs to be replaced. Admiral Hammond and Defence Department deputy secretary for naval shipbuilding and sustainment Jim McDowell said they did not believe the ships suffered damage because of the way Australian crews operated them, but rejected the characterisation that the ships were “lemons”.
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