EXCLUSIVE-U.S. warship stayed on deadly collision course despite warning-container ship captain

Reuters ^ | June 26, 2017 | Tim Kelly

[AU72]

TOKYO, June 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. warship struck by a container vessel in Japanese waters failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before a collision that killed seven of its crew, according to a report of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship's captain.

Multiple U.S. and Japanese investigations are under way into how the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17

Those who died were in their berthing compartments, while the Fitzgerald's commander was injured in his cabin, suggesting that no alarm warning of an imminent collision was sounded.

[rlmorel]

I got the little squares with a crack or red “X”...

[UCANSEE2]

I found it. Turns out it is SEWIP.

Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP)

Description

The AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare (EW) system, introduced in the late 1970's, performs the mission of early detection, signal analysis, threat warning and protection from anti-ship missiles. It is an integrated shipboard combat system that provides a full suite of EW capabilities that can be managed and controlled manually from a console or semi-manually/auto by the host combat management system. In 2016 there were 234 systems in six variants deployed worldwide, 126 systems on U.S. Navy ships (CVN, DDG, CG, LCC, LHA, LHD, LPD and LSD), 17 systems on U.S. Coast Guard cutters and 91 Foreign Military Sales Transfers in 12 countries. The SEWIP is an evolutionary development block upgrade program for the AN/SLQ-32(V) EW system offering incremental enhancements in capability. There are currently three established block upgrades and a fourth is planned.

[UCANSEE2]

and it looks like an antennae or even a chaff dispenser of some kind.

It seems to be a modular component sytem. It's an ANTENNAE, a CHAFF DISPENSER, and a RADAR JAMMER.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

I subscribed to marine traffic.

If you can plot the courses of both ships on the same map that would be great.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:139.1/centery:34.6/zoom:10

[rlmorel]

Nice job...I was only guessing, you bring the bacon!

[UCANSEE2]

I got the little squares with a crack or red “X”...

Maybe the crew on the Fitzgerald got the same thing on their monitors.

[UCANSEE2]

Never let it be said that life stops at retirement -- or, at 80... '-)

If you don't use it, you lose it.

[UCANSEE2]

OK... the Fitzgerald gets hit right in the SEWIP. Hit so hard it rips the SEWIP completely free from the ship, and it's probably on the bottom of the ocean.

The SEWIP is a combination of defensive weaponry and requires a large power source. It has reception antennaes and controls chaff launchers and jams radar . It even has it's own manned control center (Slick-32)

The base of the SEWIP contains some high voltage cables, along with signal carrying cables. When this was ripped loose from the ship, it could have caused a major electrical failure, and partial/complete communications failure.

So... hitting it in the antennae (SEWIP) might have taken out the communications.

[UCANSEE2]

Latest update.

The bulbous bow of the ACX Crystal left a 12x17-foot hole beneath the waterline, per three Navy sources who spoke on background, an enormous breach that rapidly flooded three spaces. Sailors had about a minute to evacuate their berthing, and several were awoken by salt water rushing into their rack, per two sources familiar with the details of the accident said

There is no indication that the ship sounded a collision alarm, which would have alerted sleeping crew members to the looming catastrophe, prior to the collision.

The collision also significantly damaged the ship's superstructure and SPY-1 radar array on its starboard side, and flooded out a main engineering space and radio central, rendering millions of dollars of expensive gear and equipment useless.

Navy struggles with approach to fix crippled destroyer Fitzgerald, as investigation continues

[doorgunner69]

I did not ask to be pinged by you for anything, particularly about this. Stop now.

[rlmorel]

That is no surprise...as TXnMA pointed out in one of his posts, that bulbous protrusion did the same job that the hull of an ancient Trireme would...

I fully expected from the start, when we see the pictures, we will probably gasp in amazement she stayed afloat.

They still make tough ships up in Bath Iron Works.

[rlmorel]

I just walked it off on the floor. Amazing. Regardless of what happened on the Bridge that night, they did well to keep her afloat.

[UCANSEE2]

I did not ask to be pinged by you for anything, particularly about this. Stop now.

Sure thing. I will no longer ruin your day by providing you with facts that you don't want.

[jpsb]

I do not believe one word of the Captains’ story.

Notice all the actions taken would not be recorded by the ships’ “black box”. Why did the ship not sound three long horns? That is the standard warning for eminent collision. Why did the ship not use it radio to contact the destroyer? Again that is the standard method of determining the destroyers’ course. Why did the container vessel not stop and render aid? Why did it not report the collision when it happened?

Nope this story is a pack of lies. The container ship was on autopilot with no one on its’ bridge. That still not not excuse the crew on the destroyer. I suspect all on its’ bridge were asleep.

[jpsb]

Yes the Fitzgerald would make one hell of a bow thruster and explain the Crystals’ sharp turn and loss of speed.

[doorgunner69]

I have no time for a technical ignoramus that desperately attempts to inject himself into a subject out of his depth.

You must have had a great time with MH370 (or whatever it was) attempting to be knowledgeable.

[Oztrich Boy]

OK... the Fitzgerald gets hit right in the SEWIP. Hit so hard it rips the SEWIP completely free from the ship, and it's probably on the bottom of the ocean.

Are we sure it did not fall onto the bow area of the ACX Crystal and was then concealed by her crew in the 55 minutes before the collision was reported

[UCANSEE2]

Are we sure it did not fall onto the bow area of the ACX Crystal and was then concealed by her crew in the 55 minutes before the collision was reported

It seems highly unlikely, given the difference in height between the two ships, but it is sure worth considering.

[UCANSEE2]

Another update:

“While the Navy is wrestling with repairing the ship, several investigations into the collision are ongoing.

Last month, the Navy announced Rear Adm. Brian Fort, formerly the commander of USS Gonzalez (DDG-66) and Destroyer Squadron 26, will head up the Navy’s Manual of the Judge Advocate General (JAGMAN) investigation into the collision.

Fort, who was promoted to flag rank earlier this year, is currently serving as the commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, according to the notice of his promotion in late May.”

[rlmorel]

Thank you for the update, much appreciated.