USN collision WTF ?

[DirtyDan]

http://freebeacon.com/national-security/freighter-autopilot-hit-us-destroyer/

ok the freighter was on autopilot

WHAT IS OUR NAVYS STORY ? ? ? ?

anyone out there with binoculars ?

dan

[Robert]

Yes been following this story and if you find a article on the path of the freighter it seems they deliberately did it. The thing actually has to circle back and hit from the side. I agree with wondering what was up with the crash avoidance of the navy.

[The emperor has no clothes]

A heavy traffic area at night with a freighter doing stops and starts of its course. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often. Freighters along with Navy ships don't stop or turn on a dime. Anybody that's done lookout duty on a ship knows its not as easy as it seems.

[Moonshot_1]

I know these ships can't stop on a dime, or start on one for that matter. Lotsa tonnage on the move.

But this was a US Naval Ship armed with missiles, advanced radar, machine guns, torpedos and a crew of 300.

You'd think with that kind of resources on the ship they'd at least have a couple guys on the deck to see if anyone is sneaking up on them.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I know these ships can't stop on a dime, or start on one for that matter. Lotsa tonnage on the move.

But this was a US Naval Ship armed with missiles, advanced radar, machine guns, torpedos and a crew of 300.

You'd think with that kind of resources on the ship they'd at least have a couple guys on the deck to see if anyone is sneaking up on them.

I'm sure they did. Probably closer to a dozen on duty. An investigation will likely turn up that they messed up somehow. I doubt anybody snuck up on them, more likely they misjudged what the freighter was doing.  In heavy traffic with ships going every which direction, it's easy to lose track of one of them till its too late.

[Jess from VA]

They probably have radar too.

[scooperhsd]

I know these ships can't stop on a dime, or start on one for that matter. Lotsa tonnage on the move.

But this was a US Naval Ship armed with missiles, advanced radar, machine guns, torpedos and a crew of 300.

You'd think with that kind of resources on the ship they'd at least have a couple guys on the deck to see if anyone is sneaking up on them.

I'm sure they did. Probably closer to a dozen on duty. An investigation will likely turn up that they messed up somehow. I doubt anybody snuck up on them, more likely they misjudged what the freighter was doing.  In heavy traffic with ships going every which direction, it's easy to lose track of one of them till its too late.

Only a dozen ?

Having been a surface warrior - There was no less than this list

1 OOD
2. JOOD (using conning officer)
3 CICWO
4 BM of the watch,
Helmsman / assistant helmsman
5. QM of the watch
6 SM of the watch
7. 2-3 Lookouts (at least 1 forward and one aft)
8. the CIC watchstanders (usually an OS1 or OS2 as the watch lead, 2-5 watchstanders)
9 Engineering Officer of the watch down in CCS
10 the engineering watchstanders  (probably 5-10)

In addition the CO / XO are generally oncall 24/7

If they were in Condition III underway, throw in a TAO in CIC as well, and CIC is manned port and starboard. You could also throw in some fire control technicians and Sonar Techs.

It couldn't have changed THAT much from when I was a CICO on a Perry class frigate in '87-88.

BTW - all our small boy combatants (relative to a carrier) are gas turbine powered. 15 minutes after the order is given - you can be ready to go to sea after releasing shore facilitys, etc. Driving is a trip - compared to almost any other ship out there (especially  loaded container ship)  - you can accelerate / stop / turn on a dime.


As soon as the collision was imminent, GQ should have been called. This would get the ship in maximum watertight integrity as well as gotten everybody ready to do what ever (damage control).  Whoever was directing damage control (probably CHENG / DCA) did a bang up job keeping the ship afloat.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I know these ships can't stop on a dime, or start on one for that matter. Lotsa tonnage on the move.

But this was a US Naval Ship armed with missiles, advanced radar, machine guns, torpedos and a crew of 300.

You'd think with that kind of resources on the ship they'd at least have a couple guys on the deck to see if anyone is sneaking up on them.

I'm sure they did. Probably closer to a dozen on duty. An investigation will likely turn up that they messed up somehow. I doubt anybody snuck up on them, more likely they misjudged what the freighter was doing.  In heavy traffic with ships going every which direction, it's easy to lose track of one of them till its too late.

Only a dozen ?

Having been a surface warrior - There was no less than this list

1 OOD
2. JOOD (using conning officer)
3 CICWO
4 BM of the watch,
Helmsman / assistant helmsman
5. QM of the watch
6 SM of the watch
7. 2-3 Lookouts (at least 1 forward and one aft)
8. the CIC watchstanders (usually an OS1 or OS2 as the watch lead, 2-5 watchstanders)
9 Engineering Officer of the watch down in CCS
10 the engineering watchstanders  (probably 5-10)

In addition the CO / XO are generally oncall 24/7

If they were in Condition III underway, throw in a TAO in CIC as well, and CIC is manned port and starboard. You could also throw in some fire control technicians and Sonar Techs.

It couldn't have changed THAT much from when I was a CICO on a Perry class frigate in '87-88.

BTW - all our small boy combatants (relative to a carrier) are gas turbine powered. 15 minutes after the order is given - you can be ready to go to sea after releasing shore facilitys, etc. Driving is a trip - compared to almost any other ship out there (especially  loaded container ship)  - you can accelerate / stop / turn on a dime.


As soon as the collision was imminent, GQ should have been called. This would get the ship in maximum watertight integrity as well as gotten everybody ready to do what ever (damage control).  Whoever was directing damage control (probably CHENG / DCA) did a bang up job keeping the ship afloat.

I was drawing from memory of 40 years ago. I can barely remember last week. I think there is no doubt they messed up. Just pointing out its not as easy of a job as some seem to think.

[Moonshot_1]

This was a United States warship struck by an unarmed freighter on auto pilot.
The event is inexcusable for a United States warship. Period.
Don't care how hard the job is. It could have just as easily have been an armed freighter not on auto pilot.

[..]

https://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=232143

[..]

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/19/533432845/how-could-the-navy-destroyer-collision-happen

[The emperor has no clothes]

This was a United States warship struck by an unarmed freighter on auto pilot.
The event is inexcusable for a United States warship. Period.
Don't care how hard the job is. It could have just as easily have been an armed freighter not on auto pilot.

You are right. But humans do f 'up from time to time . The sad thing is they will probably blame it on some poor PO 2nd Class instead of of a Lt. Commander.

[6shutr]

Rob, just wanted to let you know that  the U.S. Navy has added radar to it's ships since you were in the Navy standing look outs. 

[RDKLL]

Reading about this just sickens me...skipper had assumed command on May 13 and ultimately he will be held responsible. The circuitous route of the cargo ship is crazy.
Like any accident there is always more than thing but a continuing string of mistakes, compounding the one before it...
And because I loved my bridge watches on the USS Edson DD946 while stationed in Newport RI

The assistant helmsman is called the Lee Helmsman

[DirtyDan]

Rob, just wanted to let you know that  the U.S. Navy has added radar to it's ships since you were in the Navy standing look outs. 

Propellers also

I'm cracking wise rob 

I'm still buying next time you would like to do lunch

Dan

[The emperor has no clothes]

Rob, just wanted to let you know that  the U.S. Navy has added radar to it's ships since you were in the Navy standing look outs. 

Propellers also

I'm cracking wise rob 

I'm still buying next time you would like to do lunch

Dan

Radar ? Propellers ? Things have changed !

[..]

Oops.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4640912/USS-Fitzgerald-completely-ignored-Japanese-cargo-ship.html