Comments on: Time For A Stand Down

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 15:29:04 +0000

Neither this crew nor the Fitzgerald’s hit the collision alarm which would had gotten people out of their bunks. Destroyers used to have impressive sound generation capabilities, and I assume they still do.

I think the CNO is going to take some senior heads with this one. These collisions have the odor of Rumsfeld over them. He privatized everything he could, leaving the skills necessary to keeping a ship in shape away from port in very short supply.

By: Badtux

Badtux — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 07:06:20 +0000

My guess is that the backup system didn’t work. The ship’s web site a few days ago posted that the crew had fixed hundreds of backed up maintenance items, including at least 100 depot-level items, indicating that the ship was a total decrepit hulk when the current skipper got it. Given the undermanning that is pervasive in today’s Navy due to “optimal manning”, both the command and the enlisted crew had to be exhausted and my guess is that whoever had watch just zoned out on deck futility trying the backup steering rather than thinking about adding speed. Unfortunately it looks like this captain is going to get the blame for the prior captain’s negligence.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 02:20:24 +0000

OK, now the Navy is saying the ship lost steering just before the incident and didn’t regain it until afterwards. No explanation for not using the backup system, or not hitting the gas to avoid the collision.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 01:31:13 +0000

The former Far East Fleet of the Soviets are navigation hazards off Vladivostok, Port Arthur, and Petropavlosk, not out on the open ocean. Human error looks like the most likely candidate. They must have turned off the collision avoidance system because it was alerting so often in the Malacca Strait. ‘Full speed ahead’ would have avoided the collision, but you have to know there’s a problem, which means your watch has to be awake and on station. It looks like a repeat of the Fitzgerald, so the top three officers can expect to be reassigned. Given the two incidents so close together, retirements are probable at 7th Fleet headquarters.

They did order a stand down.

By: Badtux

Badtux — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 20:50:50 +0000

“Nerdberger” — undoubted an esteemed veteran of the 101st Fighting Keyboarders, LOL. The Russian Navy isn’t operating anywhere near the Strait of Malacca. Hell, they need a fleet of tugboats just to relocate their floating derelicts from Murmansk to the Mediterranean!

By: Kryten42

Kryten42 — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:38:05 +0000

And then, this comment from a USA someone calling himself “Nerdberger” (complete w/ US flag draped avatar):

“Russia has the capability to use GPS spoofing to make a ship appear to be where it isn’t. ” 🙄

By: Kryten42

Kryten42 — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:29:48 +0000

Thanks Badtux! I suspected as much. I’ll add that to my tweet. Kudos! 😀

By: Badtux

Badtux — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:19:55 +0000

Add in the fact that Navy sailors are now being expected to train themselves, using computer training programs, rather than having a surplus of people on ship to train the newbies, and you see what we have here: Tired undertrained sailors who make mistakes. Here’s the military puff piece about how Technology(tm) means that the Navy doesn’t need as many men on its ships (yeah right):

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,NL_Optimal_121304,00.html

By: Badtux

Badtux — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:04:57 +0000

GAO report on the undermanning:
http://www.13newsnow.com/news/gao-navy-crews-overworkied-undermanned/441927247

By: Badtux

Badtux — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 06:03:33 +0000

The Navy is deliberately under-manning ships nowadays in order to free up money to buy the gold-plated F-35 fighters. The result is a lot of tired sailors standing watches. Tired sailors make mistakes, or fall asleep on watch, and sh*t happens.