Australia is claiming that our 2 L-Class ships breaking down caused Brazil to withdraw & for them to carry the load...

via News.Com.Au.

America’s USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) spent half the war games tied up alongside a pier in Pearl Harbor. The USS Boxer (LHD-4) never arrived.

The USS Bonhomme Richard suffered a severe mechanical breakdown in its propulsion system partway through the exercise, reports the United States Naval Institute News.

On board was the commander for RIMPAC’s naval task groups, Chilean Navy Commodore Pablo Niemann Figari. He was forced to command the fleet from shore.

USS Bonhomme Richard was commissioned in 1998. It can carry 1800 troops, six Harriers, four attack helicopters, 12 Osprey tilt-rotors and four Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters.

Some of these troops and helicopters diverted to HMAS Adelaide to participate in the practice beach assault.

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 USS Boxer was commissioned in 1995. It’s built to the same design as USS Bonhomme Richard - carrying fighters, Ospreys, helicopters and landing craft to deploy its cargo of troops.

It also had mechanical issues, but this time before RIMPAC got underway.

“There was going to be some more amphibious operations. One of the ships we had identified had some mechanical issues, so we were not able to get her out of maintenance in time to do that. … Most of the amphibious operations turned into land training with our partner nations and our Marines there at (California’s Camp) Pendleton,” 3rd Fleet commander Vice Admiral John Alexander said.

“When the amphibious ship couldn’t get underway, Brazil decided they didn’t want to participate.”

Story here. 

When I first heard about those big deck amphibs not participating I assumed that the real reason was that the Marine Corps was pushing the theme of operating from foreign ships.

If this is true though....

That puts things in an entirely different light.  That means that someone is failing in monumental ways.  Ways that should have someone fired.

Two big decks go down for a major exercise?

That's completely unsat.

Brazil pulls out because our amphibs weren't gonna participate?  Makes sense now.  No training benefit for them.

I hope this is a little Aussie chest thumping.  If it ain't then we need answers and the standard "stuff breaks down" ain't gonna cut it!

Note.  I printed the story so I can track the revisions that will undoubtedly be made once this gets a bit of national attention.  The US Navy and Marine Corps have some explaining to do.