Welding problems causes three of the US Navy’s most modern submarines recalled

AUSTRALIA can’t build a canoe? Well the United States’ three most modern submarines have just been recalled due to problems with their plumbing.

At sea ... One of the United States Navy’s newest nuclear-powered attack submarines at sea. The three most modern of these vessels have just been ordered back to dock. Source: US Navy

AUSTRALIA can’t build a canoe? Well the United States’ three most modern submarines have just been recalled due to problems with their plumbing.

The three nuclear powered attack submarines — USS Minnesota, North Dakota and John Warner, have been placed under ‘restricted operations’ as welding defects within vital pipes directing steam from the reactor to the turbines are examined.

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One of the submarines was accepted into active service only last week.

The 25cm pipes have been revealed to have weaknesses in ‘elbows’, bends in the piping to direct the steam around structural obstacles.

News_Image_File: Sub-standard ... The commissioning ceremony for the Virginia-class attack submarine USS John Warner (SSN 785) at Naval Station Norfolk. This submarine is one of three recalled over concerns about poor quality welding in its steam pipes. Source: US Navy.

“As part of an ongoing investigation into a quality control issue with a supplier, General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) determined that three steam pipe elbows supplied by the vendor in question required additional testing and repair due to unauthorised and undocumented weld repairs having been performed on these elbows,” reads a statement from Naval Sea Systeams Command (NAVSEA).

The defects were discovered in April. The order to bring all three submarines back to dock was issued late last week.

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All three are to undergo an intensive inspection before being declared seaworthy.

The navy insists the weaknesses in the superheated steam pipes does not yet represent a safety concern.

“Basically it’s being prudent in looking into it,” NAVSEA spokesman Rory O’Connor said.

Some 50 examples of the piping ‘elbows’, many being installed on submarines still under construction, are being examined for quality control issues.News_Rich_Media: The under-sea weapons of secrecy and terror. Recount the awesome destructive power of the German U-boats in WWII, and follow the Cold War race to build submarines of superior speed, stealth and lethal capability.