Texas Rep. Kay Granger: Damaged USS Fort Worth has been fixed
WASHINGTON _ The USS Fort Worth, which was damaged in January when it was in Singapore, has now been quietly repaired, according to the Texas congresswoman who helped get the littoral combat ship named for the city "where the West begins."
Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, who is in Fort Worth during the congressional recess, revealed the status of the ship to McClatchy on Thursday by email: "As sponsor of the USS Fort Worth, I was very pleased the Navy informed me the repairs to the USS Fort Worth have been completed in Singapore, at a significantly lower cost than originally estimated."
The ship, which was fixed this week, had been damaged because of "operator error," the Navy concluded after an initial investigation. The combining gears, which regulate the gas and turbine engines, had not been properly lubricated _ an operational failure that prompted the removal of the ship's captain in March. The original estimate to fix the damage and for upcoming scheduled maintenance was $23 million. The Navy did not disclose the actual cost for the repair.
"The ship is expected to head back to San Diego at the end of the summer for routine maintenance," said Granger. "The USS Fort Worth plays an important role in our national security, and we are grateful that she is fully operational."
U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesman Lt. Clint Ramsden, who is based in Hawaii, told McClatchy that an announcement about the repairs to the ship is expected Friday. In addition, a final investigative report on the January incident is being reviewed by the Pacific Fleet command and is expected to be released in the next few weeks.
_McClatchy Washington Bureau
