Bonhomme Richard was being modified for F-35B

[spazsinbad]

Ships often burn during shipyard stays. Often caused by welding on or close to a bulkhead, and the space/room behind bulkhead catches fire. It happened to one ship I used to work on. Delayed the exit from the yard by several months, but I got a much better cabin as a result.

That's an interesting take on it.

NEW KENNEDY had a very small welding caused 'fire' the other day but instantly put out by 'standing by' fire crewman.

Another: https://news.usni.org/2020/07/20/minor- ... chard-fire

[aussiebloke]

So the only ships that we have that can deploy F-35s are wasp class?
No wonder why the Chinese are trash talking so much.

The carriers USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan are currently running dual carrier maneuvers in the South China Sea for the second time in as many weeks. Neither ship can deploy with Navy F-35Cs, a capability no big deck carrier will have until the 36-year old USS Carl Vinson wraps up its $34 million refit in Bremerton, in 2021.

The Wasp class (after upgrades) and the America class can deploy with F-35Bs.

As for big deck carriers:
USS Abraham Lincoln completed it RCOH in 2017. As part of that it was upgraded for F-35C operations.

During that four-year maintenance availability, the ship [Lincoln] was outfitted with everything it needs to operate F-35s and was therefore chosen to conduct F-35C operational test and evaluation events.

https://news.usni.org/2018/08/27/f-35cs ... am-lincoln

USS George Washington is undergoing RCOH and will be F-35C capable once complete in late 2021.

[marauder2048]

All of the JPALS installations that are out there are engineering and development models that need to be
(or are being) converted to the production standard before they'd really contemplate any long duration deployments.

[spazsinbad]

Navy receives first production unit of next-gen precision landing system 09 Jun 2020 NavAir
"NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md.--USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) received the first production unit of the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) in April [2020]..." https://www.navair.navy.mil/news/Navy-r ... 92020-1200

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=14115&p=440920&hilit=monkee#p440920

[spazsinbad]

MORE: https://news.usni.org/2020/07/22/nassco ... r-response

US Navy’s top officer reveals grim new details of the damage to Bonhomme Richard
22 Jul 2020 David B. Larter

"WASHINGTON — A series of explosions and a 1,200-degree inferno damaged 11 of the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard’s 14 decks, according to a summary of the damage by the U.S. Navy’s top officer, which was obtained by Defense News. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, in a letter to the service’s admirals and master chiefs, said the fire caused “extensive damage” to the ship.

“There is fire and water damage, to varying degrees, on 11 of 14 decks,” Gilday wrote. “With the flight deck as a reference, I walked sections of the ship 5 levels below and had the opportunity to examine the superstructure. “The island is nearly gutted, as are sections of some of the decks below; some perhaps, nearly encompassing the 844 ft length and 106 ft beam of the ship ([Naval Sea System Command’s] detailed assessment is ongoing). Sections of the flight deck are warped/bulging.” [a test F-35B DUNNIT]...."

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/ ... e-richard/

[steve2267]

How does a "Class A" fire do that much damage to an LHD?

Was it that the aluminum superstructure somehow caught on fire? Can a Class A fire burn not enough to ignite aluminum?

Something seems off here.

[madrat]

I've never seen a sustainable burn with aluminum.

[steve2267]

I've never seen a sustainable burn with aluminum.

I do not understand your statement. Are you saying you have never seen aluminum started on fire by a Class A fire? Or are you saying that you have never seen an "aluminum" fire able to sustain itself?

I thought one of the reasons for the damage the Brits took in the Falklands was due to the aluminum superstructure of several of their ships catching fire. Once that happened, it was quite difficult to extinguish.

[steve2267]

Some basic Googling reveals that aluminum does not "burn" per se. It needs to be in powder form to ignite. Yet I do recall the aluminum superstructure design as being a factor in the heavy damage the Brits suffered in the Falklands. And I am perplexed how a "Class A" fire guts an LHD.