The Navy has plenty of challenges; its own ships shouldn't be one of them

Facing increased aggression and power from China as well as new operational challenges from Russia and other countries, the U.S. Navy has been at the forefront of protecting U.S. interests around the world. As the Navy strives to meet these challenges, its ships shouldn’t be one of them. Unfortunately, they are, and information from an initially secret report shows that the problems are even worse than previously known.

On June 27, 2017, the USS Fitzgerald collided with a container vessel, ACX Crystal, while navigating off the coast of Japan. The crash crippled the Fitzgerald, ripping a hole in its hull that filled sleeping quarters with sea water, drowning seven sailors.