US Navy’s second Zumwalt-class destroyer suffers turbine blade damage

The US Navy’s second Zumwalt-class destroyer, the future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001), has reportedly suffered damage to the blades of its MT30 marine gas turbine.

US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) was reported by USNI News as saying that the damage was originally identified during a post-cleaning inspection of the engine in February.

The Program Executive Officer for Ships rear admiral William Galinis said that the $20m Rolls-Royce MT30 engine will need replacing before the vessel commences its journey for San Diego to undergo its combat system activation, the news agency noted.

Galinis was quoted by USNI News as saying: “We’re working very closely with Bath Iron Works, with Rolls-Royce, to get that engine changed out before she leaves Bath later this fall and sails to San Diego to start her combat system activation availability next year.”

Galinis added: “We found that after the sea trial through what we call a borescope inspection, where we actually put a visual and optical device inside the turbine to kind of look at this, and we determined that it was best to change that turbine out before we actually transited the ship to San Diego.”

USS Michael Monsoor previously suffered electrical system issues during its builder’s trials in December last year.

The destroyer successfully concluded its acceptance trials in February.

The 610ft-long navy vessel was built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and is expected to be commissioned in Coronado, California, early next year.

Bath Iron Works is also currently constructing the navy’s third and final Zumwalt-class destroyer, the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002).