Frank Buckley: Previous sub recommendations not taken

Frank Buckley

February 15, 2001
Web posted at: 7:36 p.m. EST (0036 GMT)

CNN Correspondent Frank Buckley looked into a previous accident involving a U.S. Navy submarine and a civilian vessel and why safety recommendations resulting from that incident were not put in place.

Q: What is the difference between the two incidents?

BUCKLEY: The U.S. Navy says one big difference is that in 1989 the USS Houston was at periscope depth, running parallel to the surface when its antenna snagged the tow line of the tug boat Barcona and pulled the tug boat underwater. In last week's incident, the USS Greeneville was rising rapidly up and out of the water in what is known as an "emergency blow."

	VIDEO
CNN's Frank Buckley reports on NTSB recommendations for submarines to use active sonar Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Q: Is the National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the Houston incident relevant to the investigation of the Greeneville collision?

BUCKLEY: The NTSB said it will at least look at the Houston probe because it is part of the board's standard operating procedure to review previous investigations and recommendations that might have some relevance to the current accident they are investigating. So board members said they would go back and look at the recommendations in the Houston incident and look at the Navy's response to the suggested guidelines.

One recommendation was submarines should use active instead of passive sonar during non-combat situations, but the Navy did not believe that was necessary.

Q: What is active sonar vs. passive sonar?

BUCKLEY: Passive sonar listens for sounds of other ships or activity in the water. Active sonar sends signals in different directions to try to gauge what is out in the water. Submariners will tell you that active sonar is something they prefer not to use because it makes it very easy for they themselves to be detected.

Submariners have sometimes been called the "Silent Service." But I talked to one former Navy captain and he said a question we should ask in this post-Cold War era is, "Do submarines need to remain as stealthy as they have in the past?" And the Greeneville incident may help us examine that question, especially when they have civilians on board on a public relations cruise in peaceful waters and while conducting such a noisy exercise.

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