USS Fitzgerald

pishta said
How the hell can a Navy destroyer get T-boned by a huge slow container ship? I mean, these ships are fast enough to tow a water skier behind them, have about 10 different radars on them and all kinds of redundant collision detection alarms. WTH? I am glad they found the 7 souls but that boot Commander (1 month!) has ALOT of explaining to do....At 0230, I expect a sleepy non rate seaman at the helm, but there are always fore and aft lookouts posted.

Gross negligence. Poor training, command climate, laziness, etc.
When it becomes acceptable to neglect your post/watch within the command climate-this happens. The CO is ultimately responsible; he/she/+ has to gauge the capabilities and the attitude of the crew, train them, and uphold many standards. If not, this happens, one way or another.

1968FormulaS340 said
I guess they don't have radar or global positioning systems on the modern Navy ships.

THe systems are worthless when not utilized by crew. I bet the facebook updates were current though. From what i have heard after returning from deployment is that the excuses and explanations do not add up. THe systems have logging data-which you cannot lie against.

66fyssh said
Yeah, absolutely no excuse for this to happen. Who's to say it wasn't deliberate on the part of the cargo ship to ram us...

No excuse. Deliberate-it would take a Navy report for me to believe that, nothing else.

If you guys want I'll tell you the findings (unclassified parts) when they come out.