USNS Big Horn Grounding

The guy taking the video seems to handle a camera pretty calmly under the circumstances. Many folks would be more jittery for a lot less.

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Yeah, looks like the water intrusion in the engine room is separate from the rudder stock damage. Probably a ruptured pipe or possibly main shaft seal leaking? The look of those bolts on the rudder stock, it looks like it may have been forced up vertically to shear off the bolt heads like that.

If that rudder post is bent or any other major structural damage, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her put on the top of the list for deactivation. The two AKE’s out there should be able to pull up some of the slack for now, though they pump at a much slower rate and they’ll need another tanker out there pretty quick.

What is this, the third grounding in as many months, if you include the Williams? The downward spiral at MSC continues…

So, while we are scrapping the bottom of the barrel just to keep our fleets underway, the Chinese are building, growing, threatening. Some people in DC needs a smack in the head with a 2x4 to get their attention.

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good

In the video at 1min, Is there anything so sweet sounding with the water rising than a Wilden pump chooching along?

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I would say 2 Wilden pumps. But in the 3rd shot, after they go back to the engine room from the rudder room, the water is no longer pouring from the overhead. Thats where we hear the pump. The level is substantially higher but at least they got it stopped & going the other direction with the pump.

Also, kudos to that engine crew for keeping their bilge clean. I didn’t see a 3" thick layer of oil above the deckplates.

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Sorry about the cynicism but it seems the Navy’s budget is more in line with the contractors that supply ships for the missiles and planes than the contractors that build the ships needed to keep the plane launchers and missile throwers supplied with fuel to run. I have no illusions that the tanker builders are not as corrupt or incompetent but there is some seriously screwed up planning. As in most crimes…follow the money. Most powerful military in world if they can find fuel. :rofl:

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As long as the brass doesn’t lose confidence in themselves over the piss poor planning or look through a backwards mounted scope on a long gun everyone calling the shots should keep their jobs. The master & whoever was on watch will probably get fired but that might just be God answering their prayers for a relief.

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@Salvatore_Mercoglian has posted his video on thsi incident and, of course, it’s excellent

Must watch :point_down:

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Sal mentions USNI in the video. They got offcial confirmation. Here’s the link to their article:

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John, UNREPs are generally done at 12 Kts. I was an UNREP helmsman and later an UNREP Rig Captain during my time at MSC.

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The perfect resonance speed to vibrate the heck out of the repeaters on the bridge wing.

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OMG! I forgot about that! LOLOL

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We have a Tanker HMNZS Aotearoa that has conducted RAS operations with US carriers in the latest RIMPAC exercises. She is in Asia at the moment . Australia and Japan also has assets but I don’t know where they are deployed at the moment.
I sailed in a Patapsco class tanker built in 1944 and renamed HMNZS Endeavour.
We used one of the magazines as a beer store. The ammunition hoist made it very convenient.

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Putin’s provocation, hybrid war or other sinister scheming .

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This is what happens when you run off your best and most competent officers. You are left with officers who probably shouldnt have a license in charge of a navigational watch. I wonder if the captain was called in time or in time to watch a disaster?

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I’d say based on the water flowing out the sounding tube seen in the video … the tank(s) under the engine room have suffered from possibly ā€œtouching bottomā€

Surprised no one had closed it. I’m thinking the greater flooding perhaps is occurring at fwd end of engine room near sea suctions (no DB there ?). It’s been a while since I sailed on a sister ship. They better haul ass for Dubai DD or hope for a heavy lift ship ASAP.

Looks like Big Horn is being towed to Duqm, Oman. Apparently 3M got in over his./her head and tried to go around fishing vessels and went aground. How do Captains sleep at night at MSC now knowing the mates are so incompetent?

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There are very good dive contractors out of Dubai and plenty of support capacity in Fujairah so capable help will be on the way ….

Reminds me of all of this ā€œBend the Curveā€ bs a recent admiral started. More and more audits and ship visits by inspectors to insure the ships are up to speed in the eyes of the navy. ahaha They dont get it. Hire competent mariners and hold those not accountable. MSC is such a mess. Never had these issues 10-15 years ago.

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