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View Full Version : SSN nearly rammed freighter

Hawk66
12-25-11, 02:18 PM
If this (http://www.asianage.com/international/american-nuclear-submarine-nearly-rammed-ship-near-canada-coast-694) story is true:

Are these kind of captains just too 'aggressive' in handling of their (very) expensive sub - I mean sonar surely cannot have missed that freighter, can it?
TLAM Strike
12-25-11, 02:38 PM
depends on the angle that freighter was at. Bigger ships can have their machinery noise masked by the hull if its between the engines and the submarine that is listening.
Oberon
12-25-11, 03:10 PM
The captain could have been trying to mask his sonar signature too by hiding by the freighter. It's nothing new, it's been happening since...well...since there were submarines.
USS Drum
12-25-11, 03:37 PM
What, that happened right off the cost of my home state!!!
kraznyi_oktjabr
12-25-11, 04:02 PM
The captain could have been trying to mask his sonar signature too by hiding by the freighter. It's nothing new, it's been happening since...well...since there were submarines.I thought this aswell until I read this little line "The USS Kentucky is also equipped to handle ballistic missiles." USS Kentucky (SSBN-737) is an Ohio class boomer. Very pricy boat to lose both financially and politically.

I don't know what Navy policy is but risk sounds a bit high for a type of vessel. Imagine which kind of mess it would cause if nuclear submarine carrying nuclear submarine would sink just off the U.S. west coast. Sounds like a little bit too high risk for me.
Oberon
12-25-11, 04:25 PM
A Boomer? Well...that's different... must have been bad sonar conditions.
Wouldn't be the first time...heck, even the Nautilus had an unintended submarine/aircraft carrier meeting.

http://www.ussessexcv9.org/images/SSN-571-%20Bad%20Day%20at%20Office.jpg

More pics (in colour) and info here:

http://www.submarinesailor.com/bbs2/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3713&start=1
USS Drum
12-25-11, 04:28 PM
A Boomer? Well...that's different... must have been bad sonar conditions.
Wouldn't be the first time...heck, even the Nautilus had an unintended submarine/aircraft carrier meeting.

http://www.ussessexcv9.org/images/SSN-571-%20Bad%20Day%20at%20Office.jpg

More pics (in colour) and info here:

http://www.submarinesailor.com/bbs2/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3713&start=1

Ouch...
Jimbuna
12-25-11, 05:04 PM
Well it doesn't look like the capatain will be making any more errors like that.
Osmium Steele
12-26-11, 05:11 AM
If this (http://www.asianage.com/international/american-nuclear-submarine-nearly-rammed-ship-near-canada-coast-694) story is true:

Are these kind of captains just too 'aggressive' in handling of their (very) expensive sub - I mean sonar surely cannot have missed that freighter, can it?

No way the story makes sense as written. The freighter lookouts saw the scope and maneuvered to avoid it, yet no one on the sub saw the freighter?

If the scope was up, someone should have been on it. If no one was on it, someone was slacking, which could very well lead to a lack of confidence in the CO's leadership.

In the end, the CO is responsible for every screwup under his command.