USS John S. McCain Collides With Merchant Ship

[minxQSK]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/n...-s-mccain-collides-merchant-ship-east-n794386

Second naval collision in two months

 

[AF6872]

Pictures look like a strait on hit to Port Aft. Crossing The T was always a good tactic and best way to do damage without minimal damage to your own. Especially if you are a hundreds tons heavier. This starts to sound fishy to me. SIL is flying SAR over the area. Pray for those lost Sailors. Start shooting at 1500 yards.

 

[alesia4368]

Pictures look like a strait on hit to Port Aft. Crossing The T was always a good tactic and best way to do damage without minimal damage to your own. Especially if you are a hundreds tons heavier. This starts to sound fishy to me. SIL is flying SAR over the area. Pray for those lost Sailors. Start shooting at 1500 yards.

Taking into account the agility and speed of the McCain even if the other ship was trying to ram the ship they should have been aware enough to avoid the collision. I suspect that like the Chief Of Staff of the Air Force who was fired in 2008 for the mishaps with nuclear weapons the CNO will be fired as well.

 

[kinnem]

I suspect that like the Chief Of Staff of the Air Force who was fired in 2008 for the mishaps with nuclear weapons the CNO will be fired as well.

Seems to me nuclear weapons mishaps are on a different scale. Nevertheless, if investigations reveal systemic problems the CNO is at least partly responsible.

 

[Jcleppe]

Just saw a report that there is speculation that the ship had a steering malfunction prior to the collision. I'm sure there is more info to follow.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/21/politics/uss-john-s-mccain-collision/index.html

 

[greeneagle5]

These repetitive and very deadly incidents could have been the plot in the first 4 chapters for another Tom Clancy thriller involving cyber warfare against the U.S. NAVY ..very sad and frightening ....

 

[LineInTheSand]

These incidents are also indicative of poor ship driving by the Navy.

 

[usna1985]

These incidents are also indicative of poor ship driving by the Navy.

That could well be true. The collisions could also be due to poor watchstanding, inattention to detail/negligence in interpreting radar information, being sleepy and/or unfocused on duty, not understanding the rules of the road, poor communications with the other ship, inadequate training of the watchstanders, equipment failure, or a host of other root causes and/or contributing causes. Until the investigation reports are released for both incidents, it's only conjecture on our part.

 

[Jcleppe]

The collisions could also be due to poor watchstanding, inattention to detail/negligence in interpreting radar information, being sleepy and/or unfocused on duty, not understanding the rules of the road, poor communications with the other ship, inadequate training of the watchstanders, equipment failure, or a host of other root causes and/or contributing causes.

I totally agree that everything is conjecture until all the investigative details are released, but just as an observation, doesn't all the above relate to "ship driving", equipment failure aside.

 

[LineInTheSand]

I totally agree that everything is conjecture until all the investigative details are released, but just as an observation, doesn't all the above relate to "ship driving", equipment failure aside.

I was using "shipdriving" loosely to include all of the above.

Maybe I could have gone with the default "lack of prudent seamanship" or failing to be a "prudent mariner."

 

[Jcleppe]

That would have been very prudent of you.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[AROTC-dad]

Prudent Mariner = Nelson Cruz when he takes ball four.

 

[Jcleppe]

Yes, we do love Nellie here in Seattle.

 

[usna1985]

Maybe I could have gone with the default "lack of prudent seamanship" or failing to be a "prudent mariner."

Fair point -- I was reading your language more narrowly because some would say that the art of ship driving itself is a lost skill, especially in today's Navy. I definitely agree that at least some (if not all) of the "blame" will be a version of what you say above, assuming it's not equipment malfunction, which is a separate, but related issue (preventive maintenance). It will be interesting to see what role, if any, optempo and related concepts played. I suppose we shall see.

 

[BTCS/USN]

Interesting reading in "Proceedings" about some of the possible reasoning behind these mishaps, with more to follow.

 

[KPEngineer]

Pictures look like a strait on hit to Port Aft. Crossing The T was always a good tactic and best way to do damage without minimal damage to your own. Especially if you are a hundreds tons heavier. This starts to sound fishy to me. SIL is flying SAR over the area. Pray for those lost Sailors. Start shooting at 1500 yards.

Except that the merchant ship turned away from the McCain. If anyone did the "ramming" it was Navy.

 

[rjb]

https://m.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2017-08/collisions-part-i—what-are-root-causes

https://m.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2017-08/collisions-part-ii—operational-pause