Austal-built LCS suffers new setback

Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS-6) suffered damage Oct. 29 during a transit through the Panama Canal on its way to its new homeport in San Diego. The ship was crossing from the Atlantic to the Pacific when it collided with one of the walls of the lock and suffered damage to the hull while under control of the local Panama Canal Pilot. The damage sustained was an 18-inch crack between the port quarter and transom plates about 10 feet above the waterline. It posed no water intrusion or stability risk, according to the ship’s commander. The ship is now on the Pacific side heading to its new homeport. Days after its commissioning, the Mobile, Ala.-based Austal USA-built Montgomery suffered two separate engineering casualties Sept. 13 on its first intended transit of the Panama Canal. (Source: US Naval Institute News 10/31/16)