San Diego-based amphibious assault ship USS Boxer is heading back to San Diego for repairs just 10 days after leaving for a long-delayed deployment to the western Pacific, the Navy said Thursday.
A Navy official in San Diego told KPBS the repairs are expected to take two to three weeks.
Lt. Cmdr. Jesus Uranga, a spokesman for the San Diego-based 3rd Fleet, confirmed the ship is returning for "additional maintenance."
"USS Boxer will resume its deployment in the near future," Uranga said in an email.
USNI News first reported the Boxer's latest issue — this time with its rudder — Thursday.
The Boxer has been plagued by mechanical problems since undergoing a $200 million overhaul in 2020.
The ship went to sea briefly in June 2022 but then remained pier-side in San Diego until last summer, KPBS previously reported.
A series of Navy investigations found some of the ship's issues came from poor craftsmanship and lack of skill from the shipyard. Plus crew complacency, poor training and a toxic command environment.
A San Diego Navy official not authorized to comment publicly told KPBS Thursday that while it isn't clear yet why problems persist on the ship, previous delays were mostly due to shipyard issues — not the shortcomings of U.S. Navy sailors.
The Navy didn't say when the ship is expected back in San Diego.
