Usually the USN uses a Captain as a scapegoat, but it could be different given that it is a seawolf class, I could feasibly see the crew getting off easier.
China's SCS Strategy Thread
- Thread starter lilzz
- Start date
plawolf
Lieutenant General
If the sub hit a natural feature, the captain would have been relieved of duty. The fact that he has not been relieved suggest the USN didn’t think it hit a natural underwater feature.
My current theory is that the sub hit either a Chinese underwater platform, or it hit the mooring chain of a floating platform, with the latter much more likely
China has been deploying a lot of them, especially the floating ones, so it’s possible the USN failed to map them quickly enough and the sub hit one that wasn’t on its charts.
That would be easy and quick to validate, hence why the captain was not relieved as it was not his fault.
These floating platforms are chained to heavy foundations on the sea floor, so running into one at speed is no joke. But the chains do have some give, which may be why there weren’t more serious casualties on the seawolf.
The chain would have dug deep into the sonar dome, and the sub’s momentum would easily have ripped the whole thing off as it caught on the chain.
The most interesting part of the damaged seawolf I want to see are the dive plains. As if my theory is correct, I would expect to see some damage to one of the dive plains as well. That could also explain why the sub was forced to surface, as a damaged dive plain would significantly impair its ability to travel underwater.
My current theory is that the sub hit either a Chinese underwater platform, or it hit the mooring chain of a floating platform, with the latter much more likely
China has been deploying a lot of them, especially the floating ones, so it’s possible the USN failed to map them quickly enough and the sub hit one that wasn’t on its charts.
That would be easy and quick to validate, hence why the captain was not relieved as it was not his fault.
These floating platforms are chained to heavy foundations on the sea floor, so running into one at speed is no joke. But the chains do have some give, which may be why there weren’t more serious casualties on the seawolf.
The chain would have dug deep into the sonar dome, and the sub’s momentum would easily have ripped the whole thing off as it caught on the chain.
The most interesting part of the damaged seawolf I want to see are the dive plains. As if my theory is correct, I would expect to see some damage to one of the dive plains as well. That could also explain why the sub was forced to surface, as a damaged dive plain would significantly impair its ability to travel underwater.
He was relieved of duty.
And they said it had to surface due to ballast tank damage.
Well, as you said, it seems that the old time honoured tradition of scapegoating the captain is still alive and well
Unfortunately, currently our navy has a severe risk aversion problem. I understand the importance of disciplinary actions, but these were good sailors operating one of our best submarines, very sad to see.
agree.
those 3 officers must be highly talented and possess superior/exceptional qualities to be put at the helm of a Seawolf.
to have their promising careers abruptly cut off ignominiously as scapegoats is very very sad and distressing indeed.
a loss to USN in my humble opinion.
But OTOH, a gain to PLAN, if I may say so, after all, there are only 3 Seawolves. or shall I say, were.
Kinda interesting video although there's lots of problems with it (all the assumptions, inaccuracies, the various decisions made etc.).
But hey, checked and didn't see it posted here (might be in another thread) and it might be fun overall to discuss about it.
I think it is quite fair. This is mostly a single squadron of J-15s, a few J-16s, 70ish J-11s, 12 H-6s against a carrier group. It leaves out anti-sub warfare (mostly) and stealth fighters. The only thing that bothered me is the absolute ineffectiveness of PL-12s. The PLAN decision to launch 60 J-11s with ASuW load against a carrier group was a bit weird too. It is essentially sending most of them to death, a good chunk facing it without getting to fire their YJ-83s. BTW how many J-16 squadrons are in the area in real life? The J-11 can not be the primary long range fighter in the area right?