USS Hartford and USS New Orleans collision

The collision occurred about 1:00 am local time (5:00 pm EST, 19 March 2009) as Hartford and New Orleans transited the Strait of Hormuz. The collision inflicted minor injuries on 15 sailors on Hartford and ruptured a fuel tank on New Orleans, spilling {{convert|25000|USgal|L|abbr=on}} of diesel fuel. Both vessels continued on under their own power. Hartford was submerged and at periscope depth at the time of the collision.{{cite news|url=http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-web_hartford_submarine_collisionmar21,0,1514729.story |title=USS Hartford Damaged in Early-morning Collision |last=Mahony |first=Edmund |date=20 March 2009 |work=The Hartford Courant |access-date=20 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322160534/http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/hc-web_hartford_submarine_collisionmar21,0,1514729.story |archive-date=22 March 2009 }}{{cite news|last=Slackman|first=Michael|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/world/middleeast/21hormuz.html?partner=rss&emc=rss|title=2 Navy Vessels Collide in Strait of Hormuz|work=The New York Times|date=21 March 2009|page=6}} The vessel was southbound en route to Jebel Ali, while New Orleans was westbound to enter the Persian Gulf as part of the {{USS|Boxer|LHD-4|2}} Amphibious Ready Group.{{cite web|last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/11/navy_hartford_111509w/ |title=Report: Lax leadership led to Hormuz collision |work=Military Times |date=15 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809071918/http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/11/navy_hartford_111509w/ |archive-date=9 August 2014 }}

Hartford is believed to have rolled about 85° during the collision and sustained extensive damage to its sail, periscope and port bow plane, totalling over $100 million.{{cite web| url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/03/navy_hartford_roll_032709w/| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906094818/http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/03/navy_hartford_roll_032709w/| url-status=dead| archive-date=6 September 2012|title=Sub rolled 85 degrees after collision|work=Navy Times|date=27 March 2009}} There was no damage to the nuclear reactor. An inspection of New Orleans in Manama, Bahrain by Navy divers found a {{convert|16|by|18|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} hole in the ship's hull, a ruptured fuel tank, and interior damage to two ballast tanks.{{cite news|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|url=http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/28/1n28world00255-world/?uniontrib|title=Navy Details Damage To S.D.-Based Craft|date=28 March 2009|access-date=1 April 2009|archive-date=5 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405131401/http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/28/1n28world00255-world/?uniontrib|url-status=dead}}

The Navy announced 14 April 2009 that Hartford{{'}}s skipper, Commander Ryan Brookhart, was relieved of duty by Rear Admiral Michael J. Connor because of a loss of confidence in Brookhart's ability to command. The Chief of the Boat, Master Chief Electronics Technician Stefan Prevot, was also relieved. Brookhart was replaced by Commander Chris Harkins, deputy commander of Submarine Squadron Eight.{{cite news |last=Clayton |first=Cindy |title=Commander of Sub That Collided With Ship Is Relieved of Duty |newspaper=Norfolk Virginian-Pilot |date=15 April 2009}}{{cite web|last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_hartford_lessons_102809w/ |title=Admiral: Complacency caused sub collision |work=Military Times |date=28 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321044622/http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_hartford_lessons_102809w/ |archive-date=21 March 2012 }} In addition, the navigator, executive officer, weapons officer and 10 other sailors were subjected to non-judicial punishment. Furthermore, administrative action was taken against three direct support element members assigned to Naval Information Operations Command in Georgia plus a fleet intelligence specialist based near Washington, D.C.

On 19 April, Hartford began a surface transit back to the U.S. for further repair, arriving two months later.{{cite web |last=Scutro |first=Andrew |url=http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/04/navy_hormuz_repairs_042609w/ |title=Damaged sub crossing ocean, amphib in dry dock |work=Military Times |date=28 April 2009 |access-date=30 April 2009 |archive-date=1 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001011710/http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/04/navy_hormuz_repairs_042609w/ |url-status=dead }} After reaching home port, the U.S. Navy made three repair contracts with General Dynamics Electric Boat for a total of $102.6 million. The repairs included the installation of a hull patch and a bridge access trunk, along with a portside retractable bow plane and sail. The final cost was $120 million when Hartford returned to duty in February, 2011.{{cite news|first=Jennifer|last=McDermott|title=Electric Boat gets USS Hartford back to sea|url=http://www.theday.com/article/20110717/NWS09/307179942/1018|newspaper= The Day|date=17 July 2011|access-date=28 August 2011}}

New Orleans was repaired in Bahrain for $2.3 million and returned to duty.{{cite web|work=Military Times |url=http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/08/navy_hartford_repair_080609w/ |title=Hartford repair bill reaches $102.6 million |date=6 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727003601/http://militarytimes.com/news/2009/08/navy_hartford_repair_080609w/ |archive-date=27 July 2011 }}

On 28 October 2009 Vice Admiral John J. Donnelly, Commander, Naval Submarine Force, explained that the primary cause of the collision was complacency and poor management on the part of Hartford{{'}}s crew. According to Donnelly, "There was a great deal of complacency involved in the crew. They had been at sea for 63 days operating in areas with high contact density. There were a whole host of watchstanders that failed to recognize the sensor data that was presented to them."

The Judge Advocate General of the Navy investigation into the collision stated that the collision was solely the fault of Hartford. The report found numerous safety, operational, personnel, and command problems in the submarine. The problems included the captain's failure to communicate a plan for crossing the strait, poor contact management, a lax command attitude, and a failure to correct watchstanders who were known to sleep on duty. At the time of the collision, the navigator was listening to an iPod in the wardroom. Furthermore, the captain was never present in the control room at any time during the crossing of the strait.

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Category:Strait of Hormuz

Category:2009 in military history

Category:United States Navy in the 21st century

Category:March 2009 in Asia

Category:International maritime incidents