Comprehensive Review of Recent Surface Force Incidents Archives

Navy, Marine Corps Had a Good Safety Record in 2020 But Have Plans to Get Better

25 March 2021

Boatswain’s Mate Petty Officer First Class Jarret Hal conducts a safety brief before a underway replenishment, on the Alreigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG-72) on Jan. 24, 2021. US Navy Photo

Navy leaders in all communities are taking a hard look at how they can use data to prevent training accidents and operational mishaps, even as 2020 proved to be a good year for safety amid a high operational tempo, the service’s vice chief told lawmakers this week.

In 2020, the service...

Navy Reverting DDGs Back to Physical Throttles, After Fleet Rejects Touchscreen Controls

9 August 2019

IBNS helm controls on USS Dewey (DDG-105). US Navy Photo

SAN DIEGO – The Navy will begin reverting destroyers back to a physical throttle and traditional helm control system in the next 18 to 24 months, after the fleet overwhelmingly said they prefer mechanical controls to touchscreen systems in the aftermath of the fatal USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) collision.

The investigation into the collision showed that a touchscreen system that was complex and that sailors had been poorly trained to use...

https://news.usni.org/2019/08/09/navy-reverting-ddgs-back-to-physical-throttles-after-fleet-rejects-touchscreen-controls

Fleet Forces: Navy Short 6,200 At-Sea Sailors Now to Meet New Manning Requirements

27 February 2019

Sailors attend an all-hands call aboard USS Porter (DDG-78) in celebration of Independence Day July 4, 2016. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy is short about 6,200 sailors to meet its at-sea requirements for its current force, and that gap could grow as the service adds new ships to the fleet, the head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command told a House panel on Tuesday.

Those sailors will, in part, be used to plus-up crew numbers on each surface ship after the Navy had previously gone to a...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/26/fleet-forces-navy-short-6200-at-sea-sailors-now-to-meet-new-manning-requirements

Fleet Commanders Holding Firm on Readiness Standards for Surface Ships

26 February 2019

Sailors heave in line aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111) during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO-200) on Nov. 16, 2018. US Navy Photo

CAPITOL HILL – The Navy’s Pacific and Atlantic fleet commanders have increased their ability to understand surface ship readiness at the individual ship level and have shown their willingness to cancel or delay deployments if a ship has not proven it...

https://news.usni.org/2019/02/26/fleet-commanders-holding-firm-readiness-standards-surface-ships

As Navy Moves Beyond Relearning the Basics to Focusing on Lethality, So Too Do Navy Trainers

16 January 2019

Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) participate in visual information training as part of virtual reality ship handling training at the Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling Trainer (NSST), on board Naval Base San Diego. US Navy photo.

ARLINGTON, Va. – In 2018, the Navy stressed the basics of training, crew qualifications and readiness following two fatal ship collisions the year before. 2019 will be all about moving beyond the fundamentals and focusing...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/15/navy-moves-beyond-relearning-basics-focusing-lethality-navy-trainers