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Canadian, US Ship Have Minor Collision at Sea
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- While preparing to conduct a routine replenishment at sea (RAS), the Canadian Patrol Frigate HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337) and fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) had a minor collision on Nov. 18 during the early evening off the east coast of Florida.
No personnel were injured and damage has been assessed as minor, with scrapes and dents on both hulls where the contact was made. The ships did not have any fuel hoses or supply lines connected at the time of the incident.
Both ships were involved with a Canadian Navy-led Task Group exercise that is taking place off the East Coast of Canada and the United States for most of November.
Replenishments at sea involve one ship taking on fuel and other supplies from another while both ships are underway side-by-side.
Details of the incident are just becoming available at this time, and the cause of the incident will be investigated.
Fredericton is expected to go into port Nov 19, which was part of the ship's original schedule. Kanawha is returning to Norfolk Nov. 20 for further inspection.
For more news from Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/c2f/.
Refueling between allies is a normal practice and one that should continue.
One of the greatest lessons of modern history was perfectly enunciated by President John F. Kennedy: "We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they ARE hard."
I think it would be foolish (and insulting) to discount the contributions of other nations - past, present or future. By this logic, should U.S. ships stop receiveing fuel from allies that are helping us stay on station in the Horn of Africa and Arabian Sea? Underway replenishment is a dangerous activity - we should practice it more often, so that we get more proficient! I would bet that more U.S.-U.S. underway replenishment collisions have occured than U.S.-foreign.
Wonder if an incident report or lessons learned will make it out to the fleet - would be interesting to read.
I remember refueling a Norwegian destoyer in the North Pole and watching it intently and wondered at 19 years old the logic of such. The seas were high, and it was pretty hairy just watching. Independence (CVA62) was steady, but the destroyer was all over the place. In reality, if there is any war, we surely will do it alone and refueling our ships is one thing, but lets stop this practice of refueling ships from other countries. This is a dangerous operation so why not quit it?
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Because it's called training!!! If we discontinute refuelings at sea - should we also discontinue man over board drills? How about a cease and desist order to cover helicopter hot - refueling?? Everyone clear the flight deck to allow aircraft to land. It's done because it's called T-R-A-I-N-I-N-G.... So your actions become second nature when it really means something. As the saying goes - stuff happens. Learn - move on.