Milsurp After Hours

"The USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain are both ballistic missile defence (BMD) capable ships and part of the same Japan-based destroyer squadron. The Seventh Fleet has six ships assigned to BMD patrols, with half of those out on patrol at any one time."

Photos in the press show collision damage on the port quarter of the McCain and looks to me as though the tankers bow bulge has penetrated the ships side and the stem has creased the hull above it. Looks as though she was crossing ahead of the tanker.
The accident comes two months after seven US sailors died when a US destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the Japanese coast.

The sailors, aged 19 to 37, were found by divers in flooded sleeping berths a day after the collision tore a huge gash in the side of the Fitzgerald.

The Fitzgerald's captain was relieved of command and other sailors would be punished after the Navy found poor seamanship and flaws in keeping watch contributed to the collision, the Navy announced last week.

An investigation into how and why the Fitzgerald collided with the other ship was not finished, but enough details were known to take those actions, the Navy said.

'That's too bad':

Donald Trump criticised for response to news ten sailors missing, five injured after US warship collides with oil tanker near Singapore

Words fail me...............

When two power driven boats are approaching at right angles or nearly so, and risk of collision exists, the boat on the right is the stand-on vessel and must hold its course and speed. The other boat, the give-way vessel, shall maneuver to keep clear of the stand-on vessel and shall pass it by its stern.

So... what side of the ship are we looking at? Port side stern and it's the civilian ships fault. Starboard side Navy and it's the Navy's fault.

Now here is a video for you. Looks like Port side to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q06j-8aUJI

Yes it is port side aft and the collision is from way aft on the navy ship. Looks to me as though the McCain was crossing the bow of the tanker. Some reports indicate that the McCain was crossing a main shipping route at 90º to the traffic flow.

Non of this alters the fact that Trump blunders again.......

......Or the tanker decided it had the right of way at all crossings like a sailing ship and wouldn't alter course.

Whatever.... we all know that the US is always in the right ...because we are "exceptional". All our Presidents say we are. Well...except for Trump in this instance it seems....who is at a loss for words for a change.

Sadly, as usual, more will be focused on Trump's comment than the loss of 10 men..........

.

Well, if the press is correct all US Navy personnel are overworked and need a rest. I doubt their forefathers from WWI & WWII would be impressed with that.

Duncan, you're talking out of your arse a bit. The reduced size and budget does mean that the Navy is overworked and under staffed. Many years of "do more with less" is becoming "do it all with nothing". I work for a Navy training command. In the 21 years I've been here we have never been staffed at more than 80% of our authorized manpower. In the operational units it is as bad. In some rates the sea/shore rotation is 5/2. That means you do five years of sea duty, then two years of shore duty. Try living on a destroyer for five years and see how well you hold up. Even though they are not at sea continuously it is a stressful way to live.

According to todays paper, senior staff heads are already starting to roll.
And yes, Duncan has a tendency to be somewhat critical of the US military and our politicians.
We have been down this road before and it never ends well........ 'nuff said.


.

It will be interesting to watch this unfold..........