{"id":16073,"date":"2019-07-17T12:14:47","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T12:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/07\/17\/a-new-issue-is-delaying-the-destroyer-john-s-mccains-return-to-the-fleet\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:35:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:35:01","slug":"a-new-issue-is-delaying-the-destroyer-john-s-mccains-return-to-the-fleet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/naval\/2019\/07\/17\/a-new-issue-is-delaying-the-destroyer-john-s-mccains-return-to-the-fleet\/","title":{"rendered":"A new issue is delaying the destroyer John S. McCain\u2019s return to the fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 A Japan-based destroyer sidelined by a deadly collision in 2017<\/a> will not return to the fleet because of a new issue that arose in testing after it returned to the water from dry dock, Naval Sea Systems Command<\/a> confirmed to Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The port shaft on the U.S. Navy destroyer John S. McCain \u2014 which runs through the hull and turns one of the ship\u2019s twin screws \u2014 is out of alignment, something workers discovered when waterborne tests caused high vibrations, according to sources who spoke to Defense News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDuring the testing, Navy maintenance subject matter experts determined the ship\u2019s port shaft was misaligned likely due to the August 2017 collision,\u201d NAVSEA spokeswoman Colleen O\u2019Rourke said in a statement. \u201cShaft alignment adjustments are in process and scheduled to complete in October 2019. This ship is scheduled to complete her industrial availability in November 2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fleet hoped to get McCain back as early as this spring, according to an interview earlier this year with Vice Adm. Phil Sawyer<\/a>, the commander of U.S. 7th Fleet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The repair to the McCain had been relatively straightforward compared to its sister ship Fitzgerald, which had significant alignment issues in its superstructure, thus degrading the AN\/SPY-1 radar\u2019s performance. The plan was to essentially cut away the damaged part and rebuild the section whole cloth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenge was that the supply system for destroyers isn\u2019t set up for rebuilding discrete sections of the ship, so working through those issues took time. Furthermore, there were lingering issues with McCain that the Navy wanted to fix while the ship was out of the water, Sawyer told Defense News in 2017<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A misaligned shaft can mean either the bearings that support and turn the shaft are out of whack (not good, but fixable), or that the shaft is warped or the main reduction gear is out of alignment (very bad), according to a former naval engineer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It\u2019s unclear which it is, but the fact that the work is slated to be done this year indicates the problem lies with the bearings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fitzgerald \u2015 the more seriously damaged of the two destroyers \u2015 is also back in the water and on track to deliver next summer, according to Naval Sea Systems Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe ship continues to undergo outfitting and testing and is on track to deliver in summer of 2020,\u201d O\u2019Rourke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t