USS JOHN S McCAIN (DDG 56) in Collision

[Oyaji]

Another Yokosuka homeported destroyer has been involved in a collision at sea. Don't have the full story just yet but, it was the USS JOHN S McCAIN and a merchant ship that collided in the Malacca Straits near Singapore.

The Malacca Straits is a bottleneck that ships pass through from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. It is an extremely busy seaway and is frequented by pirates.

Here's the FOX News link with the story..........

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/08/20/uss-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-ship-in-pacific.html

[Oyaji]

Five crewman injured and flooding reported in two berthing compartmenrts and shaft alley.

Amphibious ship AMERICA steaming at best speed to assist JOHN S McCAIN.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2017/08/20/navy-destroyer-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-vessel/

[leftyo]

unbelievable!

[Dan Shapiro]

WTF is going on on the bridge of these ships?

[JohnMOhio]

Somebody asleep at the wheel? I just wonder if the same radar system is on both ships that had collisions this year. I didn't hear anything about time of day this last collision occured. Night time? Day? Fog? How can you not know it is there?

[S.A. Boggs]

WTF is going on on the bridge of these ships?
Apparently nothing.
Sam

[JB White]

WTF is going on on the bridge of these ships?


This might answer your question. From the article in the OP:


Aside from the USS McCain and USS Fitgerald incidents, the Navy crusier USS Antietam ran aground dumping over 1,000 gallons of oil in Tokyo Bay in Februray. In May, another cruiser, USS Lake Champlain, hit a South Korean fishing vessel.

An active-duty Navy officer expressed concern to Fox News over the training of young Navy officers aboard ships.

“It’s not the same level of training you used to get,” the officer said.

[nf1e]

Incompetence of command.
There is no other excuse for this to happen, people are not performing their assigned duties.
Political correctness is taking it's toll on our military preparedness.
UCMJ needs to be executed in order to re-establish some semblance of a chain of command that is unbroken.
If an individual does not measure up to the oath he has " voluntarily" taken, heads need to roll.
Hopefully this Captain and Executive officer are not just the relatives of some pseudo important person.
The best equipment in the world is totally worthless without adult leadership.
Waiting for the normal lame excuses that will most certainly follow.

Semper Fi
Art

[Oyaji]

Search underway for 10 sailors after USS John S. McCain collision near Singapore; ship has significant damage

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/08/21/search-underway-for-10-sailors-after-uss-john-s-mccain-collision-near-singapore-ship-has-significant-damage.html

41868

[jon_norstog]

Navy Times hasn't got anything on cause of the accident or even what happened. From the photos it looks as if the McCain got T-boned by the bow bulb of an unloaded tanker. The collision took place at about 5:30, when a lot of the crew would have been up and about. As was the case with the Fitzgerald, the collision took place in restricted waters.

One of the commenters, "Seal Tiel" (apparently a retired BMC) believes that the Bridge is generally relying too much on GPS and radar, and not enough on lookout watches.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2017/08/20/navy-destroyer-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-vessel/

jn

[Dan Shapiro]

You have to wonder if everyone is too busy with their heads down looking at their wonder toys and not taking the time to look out the porthole.

Several years ago a pilot and co-pilot "flew" their aircraft 100 miles beyond their destination. Seems they were busy with their laptops.

[Oyaji]

You have to wonder if everyone is too busy with their heads down looking at their wonder toys and not taking the time to look out the porthole.

Several years ago a pilot and co-pilot "flew" their aircraft 100 miles beyond their destination. Seems they were busy with their laptops.

That's what I'm thinking. That and having females on board to further distract watchstanders. Maybe it's time to equip our Navy ships with automated braking systems and lane drifting sensors like some of the newer automobiles have. :icon_wink:

[m1ashooter]

First prayers are need for the crew and their families. Now I'm putting on my aluminum foil hat. One accident is bad but two really has to make you wonder. Is there some kinda of black ops war being played by the CHICOMS or is another of our ships being manned with unqualified people.

[leftyo]

it would seem that it is a case of unqualified people, or more likely that combined with lax standards of todays navy.

[barretcreek]

There has been conjecture about Chinese cyber warfare being involved.

Now let me sound off. I was in the Naval Reserve for 9&1/2 years. Had to fight to get 2 weeks active duty. Stood one bridge watch as JOD. Around 0200 Ops came out of CIC and told us of a maneuvering board exercise; "we're going to bisect twin targets on the same track, same speed with a separation of X". OD was the Supply Officer, working on his qualifications. I was indiscreet enough to point out it was a tug towing a barge. Guy went ballistic so Ops, 1st Lt., Sr. Chief, OD and myself went out on the bridge wing for a monologue. After a while the tug captain got on the sideband and said "I know you're the USN 'cause nobody else would try something so stupid. CHANGE COURSE NOW!" and then started blowing his whistle. By this time the Chief had bailed. Soon the XO announced himself, took the con and executed a course change, then back on the original track and went to bed.

Next morning I was in the Ward Room wondering "Which thumb today" when an enlisted guy knocked on the door and told me I was invited to the Principal's Office. Capt. pointed to the bare spot on the carpet and inquired as to WTF went on last night. I explained what I did with the information I had and etc. Dismissed.

My evaluation stated "Lt. Clueless proved himself to be a valuable member of the Bridge Team".

I don't think the Navy has professional mariners anymore. Going to sea is ticket punching but not career enhancing. Last time I was on the East Coast went to dinner with some folks one of whom was a retired Navy investigator, not sure exactly which part of the security apparatus he was in. He told me the Naval Academy graduates more Political Science majors than anything else. He also said for a while all the Academy graduates were getting Reserve commissions rather than Regular so at the end of their obligation they could be let go. My own personal take is the Navy should be emphasizing building tough little ships of limited capability as opposed to bigger complex ships so as to get the maximum number of lower grade CO and NCO command experience. There is no substitute for that.

[Jiminvirginia]

Oddly it doesnt seem to matter if "they knew it was there". If you look back at some of the worst maritime collisions they occured when they knew where everybody was.

[togor]

Too much reliance on computers I think. Makes you think about those WW2 convoys that could zig under blackout conditions. Navy, CG and Merchant Mariners.

[Jiminvirginia]

Too much reliance on computers I think. Makes you think about those WW2 convoys that could zig under blackout conditions. Navy, CG and Merchant Mariners.

Good point. And the vast majority of those cranky old merchants had no radar. On the other hand...my dad told stories of running up on the beach while on a troop transport "you should have seen the faces of the people in the cars" and almost hitting some huge ship at night going into thre Med. So stuff did happen.

[Mark in Ottawa]

Yes it really does look like a direct hit from a bulbous bow. The only surprise is that the bow of the merchantman did not cut into the side of the destroyer. From the marks on the paint it looks as if the bow touched but did not penetrate.

[Jiminvirginia]

Apparently these are tough ships. Reading about some collisions involving Navy destroyers the destroyer often got cut in half. Good damage control by the crews too.

[barretcreek]

Late 70s? didn't a destroyer run under the bow of a CV?

[Oyaji]

Late 70s? didn't a destroyer run under the bow of a CV?

You're probably thinking of either the USS FRANK EVANS or possibly the cruiser USS BELKNAP.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne%E2%80%93Evans_collision

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Belknap_%28CG-26%29

[Oyaji]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/08/21/navy-orders-pause-operations-safety-review-after-uss-john-s-mccain-collision/586163001/

[Chris W.]

I remember seeing the stern section of the USS Frank Evans tied up to the pier in Subic bay for almost a year before being taken away. Couldn't help but wonder how something so foolish and deadly happened. I also remember several near misses we had on the USS Mars while operating off the coast of VN. Port and starboard bridge lookout watches did indeed miss big stuff. These days, seeing all of these collisions, I can't help but wonder if the lookout watches are still a manned position ?? Could the new era bridge watch be glued to some sort of screen and not be looking outside at the real world at all ?? I guess in this new age that accidents still happen, new technology and all, but it still comes down to lack of qualified command personal serving on the bridge. Like it or not, heads need to roll on this one, no excuse for it. Number one job of the captain and his officers is to keep the ship and crew safe, if they can't, they don't belong at sea.
Chris

[jjrothWA]

What Flag(s) were the container ship and tanker operating under?? Mainland China???? Sound suspicion to me.

If shafat alley flooded, did the shiip roll that far to suffer damage or is the "alley" not enclosed?

[Dolt]

I remember seeing the stern section of the USS Frank Evans tied up to the pier in Subic bay for almost a year before being taken away. Couldn't help but wonder how something so foolish and deadly happened. I also remember several near misses we had on the USS Mars while operating off the coast of VN. Port and starboard bridge lookout watches did indeed miss big stuff. These days, seeing all of these collisions, I can't help but wonder if the lookout watches are still a manned position ?? Could the new era bridge watch be glued to some sort of screen and not be looking outside at the real world at all ?? I guess in this new age that accidents still happen, new technology and all, but it still comes down to lack of qualified command personal serving on the bridge. Like it or not, heads need to roll on this one, no excuse for it. Number one job of the captain and his officers is to keep the ship and crew safe, if they can't, they don't belong at sea.
Chris

Take the personal devices away from the crew and have them use their Mk 1 eyeballs to keep watch. That's how you do it.

[Chris W.]

I can't help but wonder if half of the bridge watch was on their smart phones playing games or watching porn while they still had cell service. I'm with Dolt on this one, if the watch can't keep the ship safe watching some new CRT device, it's time to go back to old school eyeballs. The thing that I think needs investigating is why this sudden rash of collisions at sea ?? Can't think of a single captain that I served under that I liked, but I have to give them credit for their most important function, they got me and the boat home.
Chris

[dryheat]

There thousands of space satellites flying around above us. Not one has collided with another. OK, it's a way bigger space to work with and space nerds are in charge. The world is changing. Shipping is like airlines. It's Manhattan. If your are going to drive great big chunks of metal around in very congested water with a slow response time, expect to play bumper cars.