The U.S. Navy will replace the touchscreen throttle and helm controls in its destroyers with mechanical ones in the next 18 to 24 months.
The news comes after the National Transportation Safety Board released its report on the 2017 collision of the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) and a merchant ship in the Singapore Strait.
Complex Touchscreen System Contributed To Fatal Collision In Singapore Strait
The report cited the design of the ship's control as one of the factors that led to the fatal accident.
Investigation revealed that a complex touchscreen system that the sailors had been poorly trained to use contributed to a loss of control of the ship just before it crossed paths with the Liberian oil tanker Alnic MC.
The report detailed that when crew members attempted to split throttle and steer control between consoles, they lost control of the ship and placed it into the path of the tanker. The accident killed 10 sailors and injured 48 aboard the McCain.
The Ship's Control Console, found in the middle of the McCain's bridge, has a pair of touchscreens on both the Helm and Lee Helm stations that crew members use to steer and propel the ship.
Investigation revealed that the ship's crew placed it in backup manual model removing computer-assisted help to allow a more direct form of communication between steering and the SSC. This setting allowed any crew member at another station to take over steering operation.
"Operating the John S McCain's steering system in backup manual mode allowed for the unintentional, unilateral transfer of steering control and contributed to the errors that led to the accident," the report reads.
Mechanical Throttles Preferred
The NTSB report noted that mechanical throttles are generally preferred because they provide immediate and tactile feedback to the operator. The board said that had mechanical controls been in place, the helmsmen would have likely been alerted that there was an issue early on.
Fleet-wide surveys conducted after the incident revealed that personnel also prefer mechanical controls.
Rear Admiral Bill Galinis, the Program Executive Officer for Ships, said that plans are currently underway to switch out the systems.
"The first throttle installation is scheduled for summer of 2020, after the hardware and software changes have been developed and fully tested to ensure the new configuration is safe, effective, and has training in place," NAVSEA spokeswoman Colleen O'Rourke said
