I found it very disturbing. For 2 ships in the same navy, in a friendly harbor in perfect conditions to have trouble it makes me wonder how they would perform with enemy ships/planes/submarines around, in an unfamilar harbor at night in a squall.
You can use the excuse that two huge ships met at the chokepoint of the channel, but I don't see that as an excuse, I see that as the first ( or subsequent ) link in the chain of failures. With even a modicum of foresight and a little communication they could have arranged a different passing point. Both of those captains ( captain as in responsibility, not rank ) should be demoted and publicly admonished. I would be much more forgiving for a recreational boater and somewhat less forgiving for a professional mariner, but for a person to be given responsibility for a billion dollars worth of hardware and hundreds of service men and womens safety to botch a simple passing situation is totally unforgiveable. Especially when these people are supposed to be capable of dealing with all the pressures and distractions of war time.
The only possible mitigating factor I could come up with is that if someone shore side was orchestrating this and they messed up. ( like an air traffic controller for aviation )
You have to consider that telephoto lenses, especially at the angles in the video, compress distances and play games with what you think you’re seeing. In other words these ships may not have been as close as it seems. Of course the acute course change of the inbound ship indicates a problem. Lack of bridge to bridge coms and the timing and location of the tug and pilot boarding in a tight spot. And the fact that the USN has ongoing problems with piloting and reasonable watch command duration
Rick
..You have to consider that telephoto lenses, especially at the angles in the video, compress distances and play games with what you think you’re seeing. In other words these ships may not have been as close as it seems....
I found it interesting that the Harper's Ferry went outside the buoy and did not run aground. That skipper has some 'splaining to do.
Just one of hundreds of Navy related articles I have read discussing current issues...
Bethnic, I think you are getting pretty far out of your lane on this one.... Your second paragraph is just silliness.....
I agree with you, Fletcher. Watching the video it is apparent earlyBethnic, I think you are getting pretty far out of your lane on this one. But you are right, this is the Internet so let’s throw stuff against the wall and hope it sticks. It’s obvious this was a major screw up by the outgoing vessel, unless it is determined that a mechanical or something else happened. Unlikely, but possible. Your second paragraph is just silliness. I am literally in this channel on a weekly basis from Nov to June every year for the past 12 years. A lot of warships enter and exit this harbor, mostly on Fridays and do just fine with navigation. That is it for me. Tapping out.
With all due respect I think you’re glossing over the facts here. Six years ago was yesterday in USN time and firing the commander of the SEVENTH FlEET is a 12.0 on the Richter Scale. Our navy has problems and pretty much the same problems it always has when there are no wars or justification for building or rebuilding the fleet. We have a history of abandoning our ship between wars and then scrambling to rebuild our navy when the **** hits the fan. Case in point, Reagan’s 600 ship navy which was the concept of Sec. of Navy John Lehman built from 1989-2008 more or less but anyway average thirty years old and they are already being scrapped or given to our allies. Right now enlistments are down and experience lower. Those that are hanging in there to get twenty years are paying the price. Twenty years ago a guy got deployed but got home in four to six months. No longer, these guys are deployed for years and are running schedules that find them sleeping on the job. They are often asked to do jobs they were never trained for and morale is suffering. Morale BTW is just as important as horsepower or radar. The USN and the CNO knows there is a problem so let’s hope it gets resolved. Right now the answer seems to be new classes of ‘ unmanned autonomous ‘ ships that require little or no man power or human errors. Semi-manned drones
Rick
Rick, I vaguely remember the McCain and had to look up the Fitzgerald. These both occurred almost 6 years ago. With the sea time these ships experience including dodging vessels of all sizes in parts of the world where the rules are what you can get away with. I was not under the impression that their record was as bad as you make it out. Have you compared the accident rate when crew negligence was later discovered to other first world Navies with much smaller fleets?
Sounds like a worthwhile endeavor for the thread! Fletcher, recommend you research it as requested above, and get back to us on your findings!
Rick, deployed for years? My son is a senior chief (CTT), eighteen years in. He just deployed on Saturday aboard the Nimitz. This will be his fourth deployment in those 18 years. This one is scheduled to last seven months. His last deployment was 11 months and that was the longest ship deployment since Viet Nam. By the way, my son does not plan on leaving the Navy at 20 years. In fact he plans on striking for a warrant and staying for 30.
It's too bad that Rule #9 applies only to small boats and sailboats....that would have been an interesting hearing.
WHAT! we cannot blame AI for this, it was all human error. ?SteveK I find it hard to believe the LSD Harpers Ferry or the DDG Monsem were using the autopilot while navigating a marked channel or fairway. I’ve never seen a USN ship or commercial ship use the AP where there is a winding channel with turns and where Pilots are required. In fact after the USS McCain accident the navy banned the use of autopilots and went to manual helm controls ONLY. After so many casualties lately they want a man and team at the helm as it always was.
Rick