Aug 13, 2019 11:15:00

Why the US Navy abolished the missile destroyer touchscreen?

Regarding the collision accident of the missile destroyer that killed 10 people (PDF file), the

accident report pointed out that the “touch screen system” that the ship had adopted was one of the causes of the accident. In response, the US Navy announced that it would abolish complex touchscreen systems and return them to mechanical operation.

Navy Reverting DDGs Back to Physical Throttles, After Fleet Rejects Touchscreen Controls-USNI News
https://news.usni.org/2019/08/09/navy-reverting-ddgs-back-to-physical-throttles-after-fleet-rejects-touchscreen-controls

The US Navy says no to touchscreens—maybe automakers should, too | Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2019/08/the-us-navy-says-no-to-touchscreens-maybe-automakers-should-too/

The US Navy will replace its touchscreen controls with mechanical ones on its destroyers-The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/11/20800111/us-navy-uss-john-s-mccain-crash-ntsb-report-touchscreen-mechanical-controls

On August 21, 2017, a tanker collided with a missile destroyer 'John S. McCain' off the coast of Singapore, and 10 crew members were killed and 48 were injured.

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It is pointed out that the cause of this accident was the crew's fatigue and insufficient training, but at the same time, there was a problem with the ship's control panel. John S. McCain's bridge used a complex touch screen system on the control panel of the two stations Helm and Rehelm . As a result of the investigation, John S. McCain at that time used a backup backup mode called “Backup Manual Mode”. This means that sailors from different stations can take over the steering, and it seems that the accident occurred because the steering changed between the two stations, causing confusion.

A post-accident report notes that mechanical operations that are not touchscreens immediately return tactile feedback to the operator. Navy surveys have also found that naval sailors prefer mechanical control, and Admiral Bill Galinis, who manages the ship's program, said the touchscreen system “doesn't do it because it can. '

Admiral Galinis has announced that plans to switch systems are underway, and the Arley Burke-class missile destroyer will have a physical throttle from the summer of 2020.

It should be noted that the cause of John S. McCain was not only the touch screen, but the average sleep time of 14 crew members was 4.9 hours, and it was pointed out that they were unfamiliar with their roles, these reports It also showed the need to improve the problem.