I retired (1986) before the Army received its new ships. About a year after they arrived I paid a visit to get my nickel tour. The young WO1 watch officer checked my ID and skipper’s license. I was impressed with the staterooms - no crowded crew’s quarters with hard racks. On the bridge I asked to see the chart room. Not only was there no LORAN receiver, there was no RDF, no sexton, no sight reduction tables or chronometer. He had to think about it, finally remembering what I was talking about from his Navigation History class! Celestial Navigation isn’t even taught anymore!
He pointed out the GPS receiver. I asked how he’s navigate if it broke down. No answer.
I was at a meeting yesterday on some new technology. A question came up about how to design jobs for the operations using the equipment. Far and away the majority of the group assembled went into a panic because there is “no software developed to model the work”. After listening to the hand wringing for a bit I offered that it takes but some consideration of the worst case condition and that the solution can be worked out with a pencil and paper or even a slide rule or calculator in about 2 minutes.
Too many have come to depend on software to do their thinking for them.