USS John S. McCain Back to Sea After Completing Repairs from Fatal 2017 Collision

October 27, 2019 11:06 PM - Updated: October 28, 2019 12:44 AM
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) departs Fleet Activities Yokosuka to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing on Oct. 28, 2019. US Navy Photo

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is back at sea after completing repairs from a fatal 2017 collision off the coast of Singapore, U.S. 7th Fleet announced on late Sunday.

The guided-missile destroyer departed its pier at Fleet Activities Yokosuka around 11 a.m. local time on Monday and is currently headed out to open water, USNI News understands.

McCain has been in maintenance since mid-December of 2017 after an Aug. 21, 2017, collision between the warship and the chemical tanker Alnic MC that resulted in the death of 10 sailors. The McCain collision followed the fatal collision of guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) off Japan in June the same year.

The underway is the first set of sea trials to prove the ship is ready to return to active service after the repairs.

“During the at-sea testing, the ship and her crew will perform a series of demonstrations to evaluate that the ship’s onboard systems meet or exceed Navy performance specifications,” reads the statement from 7th Fleet. “Among the systems that will be tested are navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion application.”

After the underway, the crew will begin a series of training events and will eventually be folded back into operations with Japan-based Destroyer Squadron 15

“This whole crew is eager to get back to sea, and that’s evident in the efforts they’ve made over the last two years to bring the ship back to fighting shape, and the energy they’ve put into preparing themselves for the rigors of at-sea operations,” ship commander Cmdr. Ryan Easterday said in a statement provided to USNI News.

Additionally, “multiple upgrades to the ship’s computer network, antenna systems, radar array, combat weapons systems and berthing have ensured John S. McCain will return to operational missions with improved capability and lethality,” reads the statement.

The collisions of the Japan-stationed Fitzgerald and McCain resulted in the death of 17 sailors and prompted a service-wide look into training, manning and operating of the surface force.

An investigation into the collision from the National Transportation Safety Board that was released in August found the likeliest cause of the accident “was a lack of effective operational oversight of the destroyer by the U.S. Navy, which resulted in insufficient training and inadequate bridge operating procedures.”

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) departs Fleet Activities Yokosuka to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing on Oct. 28, 2019. US Navy Photo

The following is the complete statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.

YOKOSUKA, Japan – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) completed her necessary repairs and is underway to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing.

During the at-sea testing, the ship and her crew will perform a series of demonstrations to evaluate that the ship’s onboard systems meet or exceed Navy performance specifications. Among the systems that will be tested are navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, communications, and propulsion application.

John S. McCain, assigned to Destroyer Squadron FIFTEEN (DESRON 15) and forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, completed her in-port phase of training, and will continue Basic Phase at-sea training in the upcoming months to certify in every mission area the ship is required to perform and prepare for return to operational tasking.

“The USS John S. McCain embodies the absolute fighting spirit of her namesakes, and shows the resiliency of our Sailors. She has completed her maintenance period with the most up-to-date multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities, preparing her to successfully execute a multitude of high-end operations,” said Capt. Steven DeMoss, commander, Destroyer Squadron 15. “As a guided-missile destroyer assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, the John S. McCain is poised and ready to contribute to the lethal and combat ready forward-deployed naval force in the free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

John S. McCain completed repairs and extensive, accelerated upgrades over the last two years, following a collision in August 2017.

“This whole crew is eager to get back to sea, and that’s evident in the efforts they’ve made over the last two years to bring the ship back to fighting shape, and the energy they’ve put into preparing themselves for the rigors of at-sea operations,” said Cmdr. Ryan T. Easterday, John S. McCain’s commanding officer. “I’m extremely proud of them as we return the ship to sea, and return to the operational fleet more ready than ever to support security and stability throughout the region.”

Multiple upgrades to the ship’s computer network, antenna systems, radar array, combat weapons systems and berthing have ensured John S. McCain will return to operational missions with improved capability and lethality.

John S. McCain, is assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

 

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
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