US Navy: Russian destroyer almost collided with cruiser in the Philippine Sea

[Mark Berkowitz]

The U.S. Navy on Friday said that a Russian destroyer nearly collided with one of its guided missile cruisers after an “unsafe and unprofessional” approach in the Philippine Sea.

 While the USS Chancellorsville was recovering a helicopter “on a steady course and speed,” the Russian ship “maneuvered from behind and to the right of Chancellorsville,” the Navy wrote in a news release.

 The Russian ship “accelerated and closed to an unsafe distance of ~50-100 feet,” forcing the U.S. vessel to “execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision,” the statement read.

 "We consider Russia's actions during this interaction as unsafe and unprofessional."

 The Russian Pacific Fleet’s press service released its own account of the incident, saying the U.S. Navy vessel “unexpectedly changed course and crossed the route of Russia's anti-submarine Admiral Vinogradov vessel 50 meters afar" in a “dangerous maneuver,” Radio Free Europe reports.

The incident comes just days after U.S. fighter jets intercepted three Russian jets off the coast of Alaska in two days. 

 https://thehill.com/policy/international/447405-us-navy-russian-destroyer-almost-collided-with-cruiser-in-the-philippine

 

 

[Arizona Kid]

Nothing new. They do this kind of thing more than people know about. Especially with aircraft.

[Mark Berkowitz]

4 hours ago, Arizona Kid said:

Nothing new. They do this kind of thing more than people know about. Especially with aircraft.

So, there's no actual increase in the amount of these near collisions? 

Is it just being reported more frequestly than in the past?

[Gary D]

Perhaps they should fit all of their ships with icebreaker bows.

[Mike J]

I have been reading comments from various news articles.  Some state the Russian ship had right of way because of their position relative to the USA ship and the USA ship failed to yield.  Others state that the Russian ship was "overtaking" and this trumped the first right of way rule and the USA ship had right of way.  I am not a sailor.  Perhaps Jake or someone else who  has navy experience can tell us what  "should" have happened if these ships were friendly forces instead of adversaries.

[Mark Berkowitz]

36 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Perhaps Jake or someone else who  has navy experience can tell us what  "should" have happened if these ships were friendly forces instead of adversaries.

Maybe we'll get that type of feedback?...  but since this is not an isolated type of event between the US and Russia (both in the sea and in the air),  is this happening more frequently lately or is it just more publiicized than it had been in the past?

[OnMyWay]

What I thought was funny was that in one of the videos, there are some Russian sailors sunbathing on the rear of the Russian ship!  Not a care in the world!  

[TimL]

I don’t know, I was reading yesterday that the US ship was recovering a Helo going in a straight line which a photo clearly showed, a straight wake whereas the Russian ship showed a clear turning wake. According to what I also read, any ship recovering aircraft should be yielded to and allowed to recover said aircraft. Who knows. The interesting thing noted here, is that this happened in the Philippine Sea. Normally all of this kind of action happens closer to Russia, not far away from it. My guess, China has asked Russia to start messing with us now in the S China sea. 

Based on the Russian jet hassling the US plane the other day, this sounds just like more of the same so, if I had to guess and based on the photo that I saw, I would doubt that the US made any aggressive maneuvers. 

Edited June 9, 2019 by TimL

[Mark Berkowitz]

1 hour ago, TimL said:

Normally all of this kind of action happens closer to Russia, not far away from it. My guess, China has asked Russia to start messing with us now in the S China sea. 

Probably so, based on the re-newed alliance between China and Russia.

[jimeve]

2 hours ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

Probably so, based on the re-newed alliance between China and Russia.

That would make some super power.