No personnel were injured when a US Navy guided-missile cruiser and dry cargo ship made contact during an underway replenishment off the southeastern coast of the United States, the US Navy has revealed.

Cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and USNS Robert E. Peary were able to safely operate after the incident.

Damage will be assessed when the ships pull into port, according to a statement.

The ships had been conducting a replenishment-at-sea when the sterns touched at approximately 4 p.m. Eastern Standard time.

The ships were operating with aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as part of a training exercise when the collision occurred, USNI News has learned.

The vessels are expected to rejoin the exercise next week, a US Navy official confirmed.

George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison

10 COMMENTS

  1. That’s why they train. Is there anyone who would not think this is a highly dangerous maneuver? And off the coast of America in winter might be a tad choppy. Happy the crews are ssfe.

  2. There are Crew Members Tasked with keeping both Ships at a safe Distance, It’s well practised and Well honed. Someone will be Severely Reprimanded over this.

  3. Stuff happens on RAS.
    If the vessels get a little to close all sorts of interactions take over which the ship has little control over.
    Basically you end up in a “suck zone” where one ship is pulled towards the other. There is little you can do when it happens …the idea is to not let it happen in the first place by maintaining good station keeping.

  4. It is rare for this to happen, but….it does and has happened to most world Navies that train so intensely every day, sometimes in minimal weather conditions. Don’t know the conditions during this RAS, but me thinks “Command” always has the final say and this time it came back to bite them. If there is an inquiry over this, then “Command” must pay the price if they are found at fault.

  5. Watching cable news today, a bunch of senior officers have been fired. It does seem to be endemic with the USN or is it just that it’s so large?RN exchange officers have a view apparently

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