Maritime Reporter, February 1989

<BODY> <div> , - The USS Tortuga at the Shipyards Division of Avondale Industries, Inc., Avondale, La. She is the third in a series of five Landing Ship Docks (LSDs) being built for the U.S. Navy. The Tortuga is powered by four medium-speed Colt-Pielstick diesel engines. Avondale Shipyards Christens USS Tortuga (LSD-46) For Navy Third In Series Built By Yard Promising Future For Canadian Shipbuilding (continued) with Hyperfix Precise Navigation Systems, side scan sonar, the PINS 9000 Precise Integrated Navigation Systems and with mechanical mine- sweeping equipment. The two vessels will require dock- ing, equipment installation and shipwork to bring them to Canadian Coast Guard pollution standards. The DND will contract engineer support to private industry within the next six months. Auxiliary Vessel Replacement Project This project is presently in the planning stages. When developed, it will entail the progressive modifica- tion and replacement during the 1990s of tugs, cranes and auxiliary barges. This project should generate a great deal of work for Canadian yards. General Purpose Auxiliary Vessel The urgency of the Canadian Pa- trol Frigate requirement for a trials support vessel has made it necessary for the DND to bring forward the procurement of one of the vessels in the Auxiliary Fleet Replacement Project, the General Purpose Auxil- iary Vessel. This vessel is needed much the same as the MCM Auxil- iary, and Supply and Services Cana- da has sent letters to all companies who responded to the MCMA re- quest. Under-Ice Fixed Sonar Systems This project involves the installa- tion of a modern, fixed under-ice surveillance system in the Arctic to aid in the detection of incursion of Canadian Arctic waters by subma- rines. Departmental officials are in the process of preparing the neces- sary option analysis and documen- tation to obtain approval for this project. It is expected that a com- petitive contract for project defini- tion will be issued in 1989. Sonar Array Towing Vessels The DND has determined the need for mobile-subsurface long range surveillance systems consist- ing of towed arrays and up to three towing vessels. This project depends on the development of a suitable sensor to meet the performance re- quirements. ONGOING PROJECTS ASW Patrol Frigates The government has approved the second phase of the ship re- placement program in the form of six more Canadian patrol frigates to be delivered between 1992-1996. The design remains essentially the same as that of the first six ships and Saint John Shipbuilding, Ltd., New Brunswick, and Paramax are in the process of placing purchase orders for material for the second batch. At a total cost of C$10 billion, the CPF is the largest single defense project with annual expenditures now approaching C$1 billion. Saint John Shipbuilding, the prime contractor for the first six fri- gates, has christened the first ASW frigate, the HMCS Halifax, and will construct two others. Marine Industrie Limitee (MIL) of Quebec is building the other three frigates in the first batch. Tribal Class Update & Modernization Project (TRUMP) The C$1.2-billion TRUMP pro- gram was begun in June 1986 when Litton Systems Canada Ltd. was selected as prime contractor with responsibility for project manage- ment and combat systems design and integration. Under the project, the four Tribal Class destroyers, the Iroquois, Al- gonquin, Huron and Athabaskan, are being modernized and equipped with new combat systems, gas tur- bine propulsion engines, diesel gen- erator engines, vertical missile launcher modules and electronics to fulfill the role of air defense, as well as antisubmarine warfare. Each conversion takes approximately 18 months. At present, the HMCS Iroquois and the HMCS Algonquin are being converted at the MIL Davie Ship- yard in Lauzon, Quebec. Contracts for the second two de- stroyers will be let by Litton on a competitive basis. The RFP was issued by Litton in 1987 and propos- als have been submitted. The evalu- ation and approval process is pro- ceeding and it is expected that the subcontract will be awarded early this year. CF Maritime Experimental & Test Range Support Vessels West Coast Manly, a division of Rivtow Straits Ltd., was awarded a contract in September 1988 to build four Canadian Forces Experimental and Test Range Support vessels. The vessels will be 98.4 feet long and displace about 220 tons. Research & Development This year, the Research and De- velopment Branch of the DND has been allocated C$149 million for R&D contracts and equipment, plus the support needed for research fa- cilities. These funds will be supple- mented by additional monies identi- fied to support international coop- erative development as recently stipulated by the U.S. "Nunn Amendment." Coast Guard Projects A number of Canadian Coast Guard major capital projects have been completed, are underway or proposed. See Exhibit 1 for details. More information will be provided next issue. • Bender Awarded USCG Buoy Tender Repair Contract Bender Shipbuilding & Repair Co., Inc., Mobile, Ala., was recently awarded a $278,546 contract for the regular overhaul of the U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender Salvia. Contingent work on the 180-foot tender, which is based at the Coast Guard station in Mobile, could add $100,000 to the contract. Avondale Shipyards Division, Avondale Industries, Inc., Avon- dale, La., recently christened the Landing Ship Dock vessel USS Tor- tuga (LSD-46) for the U.S. Navy. She is the third in a series of LSDs being built for the U.S. Navy by the yard. The principal speaker at the christening ceremonies was U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston (D- La.). The ship's sponsor was Mrs. Rosemary Parker Schoultz, wife of retired Vice Adm. Robert F. Schoultz, U.S. Navy. Other dig- nitaries at the ceremonies included Albert L. Bossier Jr., chairman and chief operating officer, Avon- dale Industries, Inc., and the Honor- able Everett Pyatt, Assistant Sec- retary of the Navy, Shipbuilding and Logistics. The USS Tortuga, like her sister ships, is 610 feet long, has a beam of 84 feet, maximum draft of 19 feet 7 inches, and displaces 15,623 long tons. Powered by four Colt-Pielstick Main engines Colt-Pielstick Reduction gears . . Philadelphia Gear Shafting Avondale Ship service generator .... Colt-FM Lineshaft bearings .... Waukeshaw Exhaust silencers . . Burgess Manning Main switchboards .... International Switchboard Motor controllers . . Cutler-Hammer CP propellers Bird-Johnson Steering gear Paul-Munroe Propulsion control, ballast control & bridge consoles Rexnord Damage control console . . . Henschel F/O & L/O purifiers Alfa-Laval Rotary pumps . Transamerica Delaval Blackmer Centrifugai pumps Carve Deballast air compressor Dresser-Roots HP air compressor .... Worthington LP air compressor RIX Distiller Aqua Chem Auxiliary boiler Combustion Engineering medium-speed diesel engines for a total of 33,000 shp, the Tortuga is capable of service speeds in excess of 20 knots. LSDs are multi-functional ships capable of a wide range of amphi- bious assault operations for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Their pri- mary mission is to carry, launch and dock up to four Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vessels. In combi- nation with the LCACs, the LSD ships will allow Marines to make beach landings. The LCACs which will be carried by the Tortuga and her sister LSDs are also being built by Avondale at its recently acquired Gulport ma- rine facility. The Tortuga, which is being built by Avondale with the use of mod- ular construction techniques, is ex- pected to be delivered in July 1989. For free literature detailing the shipbuilding services offered by Avondale Shipyards, Circle 16 on Reader Service Card Oil/water separator Quantec Filter separator Gill Valve actuator Limitorque Morgan A/C plant York Reefer plant Carrier Halon system Hille Cargo & ammo elevators Unidynamics Package conveyor & turntable operating gear Transco Stern gate operating gear & ballast valve hydr. pwr. units Paul-Munroe Motors GE Tech Systems Frequency changer Teledyne Switchboard Taplin Degaussing system EMS Development Brominating system Everpure Vent fans Buffalo Forge Pedistal cranes, anchor windlass & capstans Lakeshore Bridge crane P&H Joiner work American Joiner TORTUGA Equipment List 46 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News </div> <span id="lblContents"></span> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/" title="Digital Magazine">Digital Wave Publishing</a> </BODY>