How about lookouts and a pair of Radio Shack binoculars!?!?
I volunteer to go back on active duty and stand watches until we can train up some occifers in basic seamanship and ship handling. I navigated all these waters with less nag gear without a collision or grounding. I dare some one to even try hitting my DD.
I wonder if the ships on the Atlantic coast can navigate better than this during the eclipse? Should we send eclipse glasses, or flashlights?
At the beginning and end of these collisions stands a clueless officer of the deck. There is no excuse for being run into by a merchant when you are driving a Burke class DDG. It's like being run into by a combine on a 27 lane freeway when you are driving a Ferrari. Into his hands are entrusted all the powers he needs. He can order the ship to go faster or to go slower or to do an emergency crash back. He can turn right and he can turn left. Beyond those choices nothing is needed to avoid colliding with lumbering oafs of merchants, however carelessly, recklessly or negligently navigated.
Obviously one needs to look at the training of our officers. One will discover incredible amounts of time on equal opportunity, and safety administration (are low overheads marked with signs at the appropriate height and in the designated color and letter sizes). Obviously they are deficient in the most important skills of all, doing their job driving a warship.
That’s the part I don’t get. There hasn’t been a naval development yet that can replace an ABS equipped with a pair of binoculars, communication with the bridge, and mindful of their duty. We rely far too much on electronic gadgets and gizmos.