The USS Independence (LCS 2), left, and USS Coronado (LCS 4) steam in the Pacific Ocean. The two are of the Independence variant LCS. Ships of this variant are 416.8 feet in length with a beam of 103.7 feet and a displacement of 3,100 metric tons.
The USS Independence (LCS 2), left, and USS Coronado (LCS 4) steam in the Pacific Ocean. The two are of the Independence variant LCS. Ships of this variant are 416.8 feet in length with a beam of 103.7 feet and a displacement of 3,100 metric tons.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Keith DeVinney/Released
The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii in 2010.
The littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii in 2010.
U.S. Navy
The USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) conducts patrols in international waters of the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands as the Chinese guided-missile frigate Yancheng follows. The Fort Worth is a Freedom variant LCS. Ships of this variant are 387.6 feet in length with a beam of 57.7 feet and a displacement of 3,400 metric tons. Click through the gallery to see more of the LCS classes.
The USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) conducts patrols in international waters of the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands as the Chinese guided-missile frigate Yancheng follows. The Fort Worth is a Freedom variant LCS. Ships of this variant are 387.6 feet in length with a beam of 57.7 feet and a displacement of 3,400 metric tons. Click through the gallery to see more of the LCS classes.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Conor Minto/Released
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus speaks in Gulfport, Mississippi, at the christening ceremony for the USS Jackson in December 2015.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus speaks in Gulfport, Mississippi, at the christening ceremony for the USS Jackson in December 2015.
MCC Sam Shavers/U.S. Navy
The future USS Little Rock (LCS-9) was christened and launched into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2015. The Little Rock is a Freedom variant littoral combat ship.
The future USS Little Rock (LCS-9) was christened and launched into the Menominee River in Marinette, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2015. The Little Rock is a Freedom variant littoral combat ship.
From Lockheed Martin
Chief Gunner's Mate Nicholas Bokan, assigned to Surface Warfare Mission Package, Detachment 1, embarked aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), rigs a caving ladder on the flight deck during a visit, board, search, and seizure training drill.
Chief Gunner's Mate Nicholas Bokan, assigned to Surface Warfare Mission Package, Detachment 1, embarked aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), rigs a caving ladder on the flight deck during a visit, board, search, and seizure training drill.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Conor Minto
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) conducts maneuvers with the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014.
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) conducts maneuvers with the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014.
U.S.Navy Photo
Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Adam Garnett, from Anchorage, Alaska, signals an AH-1 Cobra helicopter from Marine Air Group (MAG) 24 during deck landing qualification training aboard the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). The LCSs are designed to support air operations by both helicopters and helicopter drones.
Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Adam Garnett, from Anchorage, Alaska, signals an AH-1 Cobra helicopter from Marine Air Group (MAG) 24 during deck landing qualification training aboard the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). The LCSs are designed to support air operations by both helicopters and helicopter drones.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos
A rigid-hull inflatable boat prepares to enter the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) during training off the coast of Southern California.
A rigid-hull inflatable boat prepares to enter the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) during training off the coast of Southern California.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tim D. Godbee
Sailors assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 prepare an MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system for flight operations aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3).
Sailors assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 prepare an MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system for flight operations aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3).
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos
Sailors assigned to Surface Warfare Detachment Four of the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 102 prepare to board a naval training vessel.
Sailors assigned to Surface Warfare Detachment Four of the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 102 prepare to board a naval training vessel.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak
Chief Fire Controlman Beth Simpson-Fuchs moves 57 mm rounds aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) while in port at Changi Naval Base Singapore. The 57mm gun is part of the LCS's core ship weapons.
Chief Fire Controlman Beth Simpson-Fuchs moves 57 mm rounds aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) while in port at Changi Naval Base Singapore. The 57mm gun is part of the LCS's core ship weapons.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Andrew Thomasy and Fire Controlman 1st Class Waylon Clement, assigned to Surface Warfare Detachment 3, load high-explosive incendiary tracer rounds into the ammunition feeder-can of a 30mm weapons system aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). The 30mm guns are part of the LCS surface warfare package.
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Andrew Thomasy and Fire Controlman 1st Class Waylon Clement, assigned to Surface Warfare Detachment 3, load high-explosive incendiary tracer rounds into the ammunition feeder-can of a 30mm weapons system aboard the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3). The 30mm guns are part of the LCS surface warfare package.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio Turretto
A Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile is launched from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) during missile testing operations off the coast of Southern California in September 2014. The missile scored a direct hit on a mobile ship target.
A Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile is launched from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) during missile testing operations off the coast of Southern California in September 2014. The missile scored a direct hit on a mobile ship target.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zachary D. Bell
An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 performs ground turns aboard the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in May 2015.
An MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aircraft system from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 performs ground turns aboard the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) in May 2015.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Conor Minto
An aerial view of the future littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), an Independence variant during its launch sequence in February 2015 at the Austal USA shipyard. The Navy has plans for 20 littoral combat ships.
An aerial view of the future littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), an Independence variant during its launch sequence in February 2015 at the Austal USA shipyard. The Navy has plans for 20 littoral combat ships.
U.S. Navy photo/Released
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) demonstrates its maneuvering capabilities in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. LCS crew commander John Kochendorfer described the ships as "a military jet ski with a flight deck and a gun."
The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) demonstrates its maneuvering capabilities in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego. LCS crew commander John Kochendorfer described the ships as "a military jet ski with a flight deck and a gun."
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel M. Young/Released
The littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) is prepared for launch at the Lockheed-Martin facility in Marinette, Wisconsin.
The littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) is prepared for launch at the Lockheed-Martin facility in Marinette, Wisconsin.
Lockheed-Martin
Meet the littoral combat ship

Story highlights

Littoral combat ship USS Milwaukee was damaged less than a month after commissioning

Navy officials say a clutch failed to disengage when the ship was switching between propulsion systems

CNN  — 

Imagine you just got that brand-new top-of-the-line sports car and you take it out for that first road trip and – you blow the clutch.

Now imagine that your hot new ride is a $360 million warship.

Well, that’s about what happened to the USS Milwaukee, one of the U.S. Navy’s newest littoral combat ships.

The 388-foot, 3,400-ton Milwaukee broke down in the Atlantic Ocean on December 10, less than a month after it was commissioned. The ship had to be towed 40 miles to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia.

The Navy said at the time that metallic debris was found in filter systems in the ship, causing a loss of pressure in lubricant to gears that transfer power from the ship’s diesel and gas turbine engines to its water jet propulsion system.

Navy officials on Tuesday explained what happened in an email to CNN.

The Milwaukee “is designed to operate with gas turbine and diesel engines, which can operate in tandem or independently,” Navy Lt. Rebecca Haggard said. “In the case of Milwaukee, when switching from one system to the other, a clutch failed to disengage as designed. Instead, the clutch remained spinning and some of the clutch gears were damaged.”

Haggard said quick action by the crew prevented more serious problems and the damaged clutch was repaired in Virginia.

The Navy had not yet put a price on the damage and repairs, Haggard said.

Last Friday, the Milwaukee completed a two-day-plus voyage from Virginia to Mayport, Florida, its first journey since the mishap.

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The Navy said while at the shipyard of BAE Systems, a Navy contractor, in Mayport, the Milwaukee would take on additional equipment for testing this spring before proceeding to its home port in San Diego.

The Navy’s littoral combat ships come in two variants: the monohull and the trimaran. The Milwaukee is a monohull. With a draft of between 14 and 15 feet and a speed of 40 knots, the ships are designed to operate in littoral environments, or shallower coastal areas.

The past few months have been rough ones for the Navy’s LCS program.

Just a month after the Milwaukee mishap, its sister ship, the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), was tied up at a dock in Singapore with what the U.S. Pacific Fleet called “a casualty to the ship’s combining gears.”

“Based on initial indications, the casualty occurred due to an apparent failure to follow procedures during an operational test of the port and starboard main propulsion diesel engines,” said a statement from the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The Navy is looking into what brought on the January 12 incident on the Fort Worth so corrective actions can be taken.

“Several options for the repair are under review. No decision has been made yet,” Lt. Cmdr. Matt Knight said Tuesday.

While the ships are having their onboard problems, they are also facing a lack of support at the Pentagon, specifically from Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

In December, Carter ordered the Navy to cut its projected fleet of the ships from 52 to 40, saying resources that would have been devoted to the 12 proposed LCSs would be better expended on Navy ships with better firepower, as well as submarines and aircraft.