I agree but here is where I have huge questions. The Fitzgerald has numerous sophisticated detection devices that “see” just as well at night as they do anytime. And I am absolutely sure they can monitor and do monitor civilian AIS traffic themselves. How could ALL of this highly advanced instrument redundancy fail to see the Crystal? With these detection devices a visual lookout is redundant and almost unneeded in reality.
So I think the bridge watch was not oblivious to the presence of the Crystal yet for some reason refused to give right of way. Could the OOD have tried to force the Crystal to give right of way to the Fitzgerald even though they didn’t legally have the right of way? And then because the Crystal was asleep at the wheel they failed to even realize the Fitzgerald was attempting to make them give up right of way even though they had no right?
Could it have been “Just wait... We are a US Destroyer they will give way... Hold course they will give way... Oh crap! they are not giving!”. It would not be the first time we have stepped on our own foot with overconfidence.
Even if the Crystal was asleep at the wheel, to try and force right of way when you have no right of way would be the cause and sole fault.
“How could ALL of this highly advanced instrument redundancy fail to see the Crystal?” The instruments, radars, computers etc. “saw” the Crystal. The human eyes and brains that were suppose to do something reasonable with the information are the ones that failed in this incident. The equipment functioned fully, the humans did not.
you seem intent on trying to assign a reason for the Fitzgerald’s actions. She wasn’t trying to board, she wasn’t playing cat and mouse, she wasn’t playing chicken, and she wasn’t trying to force a right of way, she clearly didn’t have.
Pure and simple, the bridge watch on Fitzgerald lost the bubble, and for some amount of time didn’t have a clue as to the real situation facing them. The CIC watch failed to communicate with the bridge and aid them in the safe navigation of the ship. The Officers on watch on the bridge and CIC are responsible for the collision.
a competent watch officer with a set of field glasses, a compass repeater and an azmuth ring is all that is really required to avoid a collision at sea, in most cases. Radar, and multimillion dollar computers and AIC make the job easier, but it still requires a conscientious officer carrying out his duties to avoid a collision.