USS Montgomery LCS damaged during Panama Canal transit

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- The USS Montgomery littoral combat ship was damaged Oct. 29 while transiting the Panama Canal, the U.S. Naval Institute reported this week.

It was transiting to the Pacific Ocean en route to San Diego when it collided with a lock's walls, the institute reports.

"Under control of the local Panama Canal Pilot, the ship impacted the center lock wall and sustained an 18-inch-long crack between her port quarter and transom plates," 3rd Fleet spokesman, Cmdr. Ryan Perry, was quoted as saying. "The crack is located 8-10 feet above the waterline and poses no water intrusion or stability risk."

The Montgomery has since gone through the canal and is steaming to San Diego.

It has been a rough few months since the Montgomery was commissioned in September.

The ship sustained two engineering casualties that month during its first Panama Canal transit involving a seawater leak and gas turbine engine issues.

In August, the sea service ordered an engineering stand down for all LCS after the first of the ships, the USS Freedom, sustained a casualty to a main propulsion engine due to a seawater leak.

Also in August, the USS Coronado LCS experienced a casualty to one of its flexible couplings assemblies.

The service announced an overhaul of the troubled, costly LCS program in September that was to include a comprehensive review of maintenance, operations, crewing and training.