With five ships already delivered and another five under construction in an 11-ship class, the San Antonio class of amphibious transport dock ships is far from a newcomer to the fleet -but it is a bit of a late bloomer. As recently as this past summer, the lead ship in the class experienced a setback during routine training and system checks when the crew noticed air leaks from the inner coolers of the engines and fuel leaks from the fuel oil containment boxes. The ship was sidelined for less than a month, and the Navy said the problem did not greatly impact the ship's schedule, but it was the latest in a long history of problems for the class - a history that both the Navy and its manufacturer, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) Inc., hope is finally behind them as they seek to deliver what will be a critical expeditionary asset for the Marine Corps.
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