U.S. Navy ship has litany of problems

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy vessel New Orleans is 90 percent over budget and has 2,600 different problems restricting its combat duties, inspectors say.

Inspectors for the Navy's Bureau of Inspection and Survey said in a report that the USS New Orleans, which has San Diego as its home port, needs an estimated 400,000 hours of repairs in order to deemed ready for full combat services, The San Diego Union-Tribune said Wednesday.

"USS New Orleans was degraded in her ability to conduct sustained combat operations," the report said. "The ship cannot support embarked troops, cargo or landing craft."

Among the problems facing the maritime craft, which arrived at its home port 16 months ago, are significant propulsion and steering malfunctions.

The New Orleans was designed to serve as an amphibious assault ship that can transport military troops and equipment into war zones.

Despite the report, Navy officials told the Union-Tribune that most of the detailed problems on the New Orleans have been fixed and the LPD-17 series vessel could be deployed in early 2009.