What you need to know: On October 13, 2012, USS Montpelier, a Los Angeles-class submarine, collided with USS San Jacinto, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, during an anti-submarine warfare exercise off Florida. The incident, caused by human error and poor coordination, highlighted critical gaps in naval training and situational awareness.

– Despite advanced systems, the human factor remains a key vulnerability. The collision spurred reforms, including more realistic, high-stress training scenarios, but underscored the U.S. Navy’s broader struggles with training.

– As China challenges US naval dominance in the Indo-Pacific, the Montpelier-San Jacinto collision serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of preparation in complex, high-stakes operations.

The USS Montpelier Collision: A Hard Lesson in Naval Preparedness

During an anti-submarine exercise on October 13, 2012, two US Navy warships, the USS Montpelier, a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and the USS San Jacinto, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, collided off the coast of Florida. The accident is a caustic reminder of the risks of any naval operation, even one in the pristine waters of northeast Florida.

The Montpelier was preparing for its next overseas deployment and as part of this preparation the submarine was tasked with a simulated anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission. In this mission, Montpelier pretended to be an enemy submarine which it was ALLEGED to avoid detection by USS San Jacinto. The Ticonderoga class cruiser was assigned to protect the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, U.S.S Harry S. Truman.

As the exercise was underway, MontpellierHis periscope was seen about 100-200 meters before San Jacinto. Before any evasive action can be taken by San Jacinto, however, the Montpelier surfaced. The collision was so great that the rudder broke Montpellieralthough further investigation determined that the submarine’s propulsion plant was fortunately unaffected by the crash.

The result

Naval investigators quickly determined that the main causes were human error and his poor teamwork Montpellierhis crew. As a result of that failure, the submarine’s commander was removed from his command. The incident, of course, was more complex than naval investigators have summed it up.

For example, the crew from San Jacinto it was distracted through the ongoing flight operations they were covering from the nearby USS Harry S. Truman. Other concerns have been raised about the mismanagement of resources by the leadership of the warships involved.

These problems highlight the fundamental problem with all complex operations.

That is, despite the presence of advanced systems designed to make even the most sophisticated naval operation effective against idiots, the human factor cannot be overcome. In particular, human decision-making during such operations.

The collision off the coast of northeast Florida shows that US Navy crews are in dire need of continuous training. And this training should not be relegated to the technical side only. Instead, they must also involve training in situational awareness and decision-making under pressure.

Because naval exercises are meant to mimic real-world combat situations, performance Montpelier and San Jacinto in 2012 leaves much to be desired. In actual combat, US warships often work closely together, as they did in the ASW exercise off the coast of Florida in 2012.

Even under the best of circumstances, the crews of a carrier battle group must demonstrate impeccable coordination, convincing communication, and an innate understanding of each warship’s capabilities. Under the kind of conditions that modern American sailors will endure when fighting a close adversary at sea, all of these demands will be amplified, as will the stakes.

Turning to face the change

This incident sparked some reforms within the Navy to improve training protocols, such as creating more realistic and stressful training scenarios to help prepare sailors for the complexity and unpredictability of modern sea combat. The Navy has updated its operational procedures, such as focusing on minimizing risks over time maintaining realistic training conditions.

In the end, however, the Navy struggled for years. Accidents at sea or other human errors that would not have occurred a generation ago, or even relying too much on technology that is far from safe, have all contributed to a general lack of preparedness on the part of the Navy US.

This happened at a time of maximum danger for the Navy, as close rivalsespecially China, is increasingly challenging the US Navy.

An important lesson a Montpelier and San Jacinto The 2012 clash should have been that the Navy is nowhere near ready for combat in the kind of tight geography and degraded electronic environments of the Indo-Pacific.

Experience and expertise of the author: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weicherta national security of national interest analystis a former congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor to The Washington Times, Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is out October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock.

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