Problems Discovered With Submarine Welds

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Newport News Daily Press
December 11, 2007
Pg. 1
By Peter Frost
NEWPORT NEWS -- Northrop Grumman Newport News and the U.S. Navy are inspecting welds on all Virginia-class submarines after finding problems with welds in the internal piping sections of those vessels, the Navy and the yard confirmed Monday.
An investigation by the Navy, Northrop Grumman and its shipbuilding partner, Groton, Conn.-based General Dynamics Electric Boat, revealed that inadequate processes at the Newport News shipyard allowed the improper use of a weld material that could lead to cracking of joints and result in leaks, according to a Navy statement.
The Navy and the two yards late last week began a detailed assessment of completed welds through record reviews, additional inspections and testing, said Katie Dunnigan, a Naval Sea Systems Command spokeswoman.
That assessment involves each of the four Virginia-class submarines, and it contributes to delays in the sea trials and delivery of the North Carolina, a submarine Northrop Grumman planned to hand over to the Navy at the end of the month. The boat's delivery has been pushed back to at least January, a yard spokeswoman said.
All Northrop Grumman Newport News-made non-nuclear piping systems are potentially affected, said Edward R. O'Connor, spokesman in Washington for the Navy's submarine program.
Inspections also have delayed operational testing of the Virginia by a few days, according to the Navy and the Newport News shipyard. The other two Virginia-class subs, the Hawaii and the Texas, are not at sea.
Based on initial findings, at least one joint on both the Virginia and Texas subs was deficient, O'Connor said in an e-mail.
The Navy and the shipyard learned about some of the problems during routine testing in August, but the Navy didn't initiate a large-scale investigation until recently. The assessment is due to be finished this week.
Once the investigation is completed, the Navy "will establish processes to address long-term effects of this problem," the statement said. "The Navy is committed to ensuring that our ships and submarines are built to the highest technical and safety standards."
Northrop Grumman Newport News spokeswoman Jennifer Dellapenta said the company already has taken a series of corrective actions to remedy the problem.
"We have a rigorous program in place that includes inspecting and evaluating our work to ensure it adheres to the Navy's strict requirements," she said. "When issues arise, it's something we address in an immediate and methodical way."
The problems stem from potential weaknesses where interior portions of the subs were welded together. Those welds, the Navy and the yard said, were not on any nuclear component or external portion of the ships.
Some welders and fitters used different welding materials than prescribed to hold portions of the boats together. Welding is a process that joins together materials, in this case steel and other metals, by heating a filler substance to form a pool of molten material that cools to produce a strong joint.
Using incorrect filler material, which included trace amounts of copper alloy welded into steel joints, can lead to cracking of the joints, and eventually, leaks, according to the Navy.
Once those errors were identified, the yard went to work repairing them, Dellapenta said.
In perhaps the most sweeping yard action, all welders and welding foremen will be required to attend a mandatory, eight-hour training session over the next few weeks. The training session will be followed by an examination, Dellapenta said.
The yard also has since prohibited welders from carrying multiple filler materials to reduce mistakes, and it now forbids them from correcting their errors without supervision.
The yard will take "appropriate actions" against welders found to have made errors, Dellapenta said. She didn't specify what those actions would be.
Shipyard workers told the Daily Press that they've known about the problems since at least October.
"It's something everyone is talking about, so it's no secret," said Brian Ribblett, a 30-year shipyard veteran welder who works on submarines. "It's really grating on people. We've never gone through anything like this. I mean, we've had problems here and there, but nothing to this scale."
Alton H. Glass Sr., president of Steelworkers Local 8888, the union that represents many of the yard's workers, said both Navy and Northrop Grumman officials are involved with the ongoing welding inspections on the North Carolina.
"This is not a small deal," Glass said. "Once the investigation is over, we'll know just how big a deal it is."
 
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