Posted on 02/06/2019 7:14:54 AM PST by RitchieAprile
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- No personnel were injured when a U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser and dry cargo ship made contact during an underway replenishment off the southeastern coast of the United States, Feb. 5. USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5) were able to safely operate after the incident. Damage will be assessed when the ships pull into port. The ships had been conducting a replenishment-at-sea when the sterns touched at approximately 4 p.m. Eastern Standard time. U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Military Sealift Command will thoroughly investigate this incident. The ships were conducting operations in conjunction with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.
Diversity is more important than competent seamanship in today’s Navy.
Diversity is our strength!
In my time in, only highly experienced boatswain mate’s would “man” the helm during any close quarters replenishments.
UNREPS are pretty damn cool. Being able to do ‘em the right way was a big reason we would’ve crushed the Ruskies in the Cold War.
You are correct sir, unfortunately. I wonder if the captains of both ships are toast?
Choose the wrong heading by a few degrees, get a crosswind or quartering sea, and it’s hard to keep two ships perfectly parallel a dozen or so yards apart while replenishing.
Been there, done that. (The rigging, not the driving)
If only they could invent some sort of device that could control the direction of a vessel underway. Something like a steering device that moves a large paddle-like piece of equipment, maybe call it a “rudder” or something similar. And then have someone who could steer that “rudder” away from nearby vessels.
That would be something.
USN ping.
Made me recall the, “Women Not On Speaking Terms” collision about 1.5 years back.
So did someone lose steering? Wonder why there were always fire axes near attach points during underway highline details?
LOL! Yeah, it’s an interesting operation to say the least. Seen guys get dunked making the crossing and gotten soaked to the bone pulling in lines shot over.
I conned a lot of night unreps alongside the Sacremento in the Gulf of Tonkin. Fuel ammo and stores from high line and Helo. Some lasted nearly three hours.
Blowing like stink off the SE coast last couple of days.
I was an on-deck observer for several underway refuelings by ships of this size. It’s pretty tricky because of the powerful hydrodynamic flow between the hulls. They have to come together very, very carefully. If they get just a little too close, they will be pulled together by suction. And the “breakaway” also has to be done very skillfully. In this case, it sounds like the helmsman on ship that turned away did it a bit too quickly, causing the stern to get to close, the hydrodynamic suction doing the rest.
The suction:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venturi_effect
I think this might be the force you’re referring to.
It’s also the reason why the Russian concept for a “catamaran”-style aircraft carrier with twin hulls would not work, I believe.
On the Can I was on, a senior QM was the helmsman during replenishing ops.
Always scary exercise unless the weather is good and seas are calm...and how often does this happen?
Hmmm.... I was stationed aboard the USS Robert E. Peary back in ‘79... It was a Knox Class Frigate back then though. (FF-1073) Did plenty of UNREPS in the IO off Gonzo station...
Pretty much never when you actually need good weather and calm seas.
The US Navy developed and perfected UNDERWAY replenishment when no one else dared try it. But that was another navy... one we were all proud of. Not this incompetent bunch on boobs putting on drag shows.
Another woman driver no doubt.
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