Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer has formed an independent subject matter expert team to operate a Strategic Readiness Review as one of the responses to recent surface fleet collision incidents., the Navy said last Friday.
This review is set to proceed concurrently with, and complementary to, the Comprehensive Review led by U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The independent review is expected to present results 30 days after the Comprehensive Review.
An Aug. 24 memo detailed the responsibilities for Adm. Philip Davidson, commander of Fleet Forces Command, as he leads the 60-day Comprehensive Review on incidents over the last decade, specifically within the Seventh Fleet (Defense Daily, Aug. 25).
The USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) and the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), both Aegis Arleigh Burke-class destroyers collided with commercial vessels in the Pacific during night or early morning hours within three months, each resulting in multiple U.S. sailor deaths. Separately, were the grounding of the USS Antietam (CG-54) in January and a collision between the USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and a South Korean fishing vessel in May.
The Navy said the findings of both these assessments will result in policy recommendations “built upon validated analytics and a full review of existing policies to determine what is being measured, what is being rewarded, and the intended and unintended consequences of those policies.”
Spencer said in a Sept. 1 memo that he formed this independent subject matter expert team “to ensure the greatest possible rigor” and to meet his oversight responsibilities.
The Strategic Readiness Review will be led by a civilian chosen by Spencer and include service and industry expert personnel involved with earlier investigations and can help assess the Comprehensive Review and inform recommendations.
He said this second review will complement the comprehensive one in determining root causes and where to provide input to the department in concert with any OPNAV and Fleet actions recommended by the Comprehensive Review, if necessary.
This review will examine at least 10 years of the Navy’s overall past performance, focusing on stresses on the force and the overall culture of operational risk management, training, and department organization. It will later review appropriate accountability mechanisms, deficiencies, and lessons learned.
Spencer highlighted these incidents are unacceptable and the increase in the number of them demands a thorough review.
“I look forward to receiving the proposed corrective actions. As we mourn the loss of our Sailors, we must improve upon the way we operate,” he said in a statement.