A Seawolf attack submarine crashed into an “underwater seamount” at high speed.

What you need to know: In October 2021, the U.S. Navy’s Seawolf-class submarine USS Connecticut collided with an underwater mountain in the South China Sea while traveling at high speed in poorly charted waters. The collision injured eleven sailors and raised questions about how such an advanced ship could hit an underwater mountain.

– An official Navy report attributed the incident to errors in navigation planning and failures in watch team execution and risk management.

-Some analysts have speculated that a giant whirlpool observed in the area may have contributed, but this theory remains unconfirmed. The USS Connecticut is currently undergoing repairs and is scheduled to return to service in 2025.

USS Connecticut collision: How did a US submarine hit an underwater mountain?

More than three years have passed since the USS Connecticut (SSN-22) collided with a seamount – or what some call a seamount – in the South China Sea, and experts are still debating the cause of the incident.

On October 2, 2021, the U.S. Navy’s Seawolf-class submarine landed on the seamount while traveling at high speed in poorly charted waters.

Eleven sailors were injured as a result of the collision. However, Rear Admiral Christopher Cavanaugh, who led the investigation into the landing at the time, announced that “a landing at this speed and depth could potentially result in more serious injuries, fatalities and even loss of the ship.”

So what caused the collision? New details could come to light that could change all of our perspectives on the issue.

An overview of the USS Connecticut:

A Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, the USS Connecticut is widely regarded as one of the most advanced ships of its kind. The $3.5 billion submarine is capable of operating silently and deeply and remains a crucial part of the Navy’s deterrence strategy.

Like her sister ships, Connecticut features some of the most advanced undersea warfare technology ever developed. When it comes to armament, these ships can pack a punch. They carry 533mm Mark 48 torpedoes as well as Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

With these powerful and costly weapons onboard submarines, any underwater collision involving a Seawolf is extremely damaging to the service.

How did the submarine encounter an underwater mountain?

According to the official report released after the incident, the collision was “the result of an accumulation of errors and omissions in navigation planning, watch team execution, and risk management that fell well below U.S. Navy standards… Prudent decision-making and.” Compliance with required procedures in all areas.” One of these three areas could have prevented the grounding.” The Stars and Stripes news agency also noted that before the crash, “at least one sailor had detected sonar readings that did not match the navigation map of the underwater area.” However, the deck officer did not report the danger to the commander of the Connecticut, who was off duty at the time.”

What about the whirlpool theory?

Some analysts doubt that a huge whirlpool discovered at the time of the collision could be responsible.

In September 2021, Chinese researchers registered a huge whirlpool in the South China Sea. The vortex observed by Beijing scientists may have lasted into October when the crash occurred, as such phenomena can reportedly last weeks to months.

Although this theory has neither been confirmed nor denied, it may remain a plausible explanation for the landing of the USS Connecticut. Ultimately, the Navy revealed that the Connecticut collision was, in fact, preventable.

In recent years, the service has prioritized training and certification to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. As tensions between Washington and Beijing in these waters only escalate, it is critical that the Navy’s top-class submarines function.

Repair work has been underway in Connecticut since the collision. The Seawolf-class submarine is expected to return to service sometime in 2025.

About the author: Maya Carlin, defense expert

Maya Carlin, national security writer at The National Interest, is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She is featured in many publications including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

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