Aircraft Carrier USS Harry S. Truman In Greece For Repairs Following Collision
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is now in port in Greece for repairs following a collision with the cargo ship M/V Besiktas-M this past week. The service is continuing to assess the full extent of damage to the flattop, which is in the middle of a deployment that has already included combat operations in and around the Red Sea.
The Navy announced yesterday that Truman had arrived at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay in Greece for what it has described as an Emergent Repair Availability (ERAV). The carrier had made a port stop in Souda Bay just days before the collision, which occurred on Feb. 12 in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt as it was about to enter the Suez Canal. The incident remains under investigation.
'An assessment team will conduct a full survey of damaged areas and develop a repair plan to be executed immediately following completion of the assessment,' according to an official press release. 'The assessment team includes structural engineers, naval architects, and other personnel from FDRMC [the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center] and Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). They will be supported by ship's force personnel and local industry partners for the repair effort.'
On Friday, the Navy released a picture showing damage to a sponson on the starboard side of the stern end of the ship's number three aircraft elevator. The service subsequently released additional images, seen at the top of this story and below, showing further damage to the aft end of the starboard side of the hull.
'Damage [already] assessed includes the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space. External to the ship, damage assessed includes a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above one of the storage spaces,' according to the new Navy release. 'Aircraft elevator number three sustained no damage and is fully operational. Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) will lead the pier side ERAV, including an assessment and follow-on repairs to damages sustained.'
The Navy has previously said Truman did not experience any flooding and that its nuclear reactors were safe and sound as a result of the collision. None of the aircraft onboard were damaged and none of the crew were injured.
Details about the full extent of the damage to Besiktas-M remain unclear. There have been no reported injuries among its crew. The Panamanian-flagged cargo ship appears to be continuing on its planned voyage to the port of Constanta in Romania on the Black Sea, according to online ship tracking site Vessel Tracker.
A photo released from one of the crew of #BesiktasM after the collision with #Truman. It appears that Besiktas M hit the Truman with her starboard bow. Note the mooring line cable spool sheared off and the damage to the forward starboard hatch coaming.This damage may indicate… https://t.co/MtXUhg7hSG pic.twitter.com/4I2jCGMrZA
— Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping)
(@mercoglianos) February 13, 2025
'Deployed U.S. Navy ships routinely undergo planned and emergent maintenance periods such as mid-deployment voyage repairs and ERAVs, allowing forward-deployed ships to sustain maximal operational readiness,' the service has stressed in its latest release about Truman. 'The United States' relationships with Allies and partners provides access to ports around the world, granting the U.S. Navy strategic pier availability and resources critical for operational flexibility.'
'While the ship is fully mission capable and the ship conducted flight operations following the collision, pulling into port for emergent repairs will enable the ship to continue deployment as scheduled,' Navy Capt. Dave Snowden, the carrier's commanding officer, also said in a statement.
At the same time, it remains to be seen how long Truman might be sidelined following the collision. As noted, the ship is in the middle of a deployment that has already included supporting ongoing operations against Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and ISIS-affiliated terrorists in Somalia. There are no other U.S. carriers in the region currently, and the time Truman spends in port now for repairs could still have significant operational impacts.
'The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) units remain operational across geographic regions in support of their component commanders,' Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of the strike group, said in a separate statement. 'Our mission has not changed and we remain committed to responding to any challenge in this dynamic and global security environment.'
In addition to the Truman and its embarked air wing, the strike group includes the Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Gettysburg and the Arleigh Burke class destroyers USS Stout, USS The Sullivans, and USS Jason Dunham. In December, Gettysburg shot down an F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter assigned to Truman in a separate friendly fire incident that is also still under investigation.
Whatever happens, Truman will now be in port in Souda Bay for at least some amount of time as Navy personnel get a full picture of the damage and determine what repairs are necessary to get the flattop back on station.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Crew of USS Oscar Austin awarded Combat Action Ribbons for Red Sea deployment
The USS Oscar Austin played a pivotal role as Houthi rebels fired hundreds of rockets and drones towards U.S. ships in the Red Sea this spring. Now, members of its crew from that fight will wear Combat Action Ribbons on their uniforms, the Navy announced Tuesday. The crew of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer were awarded a Unit Combat Action Ribbon Tuesday upon the ship's arrival at Naval Station Rota, Spain. As a result, all members of the crew who were aboard will be authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon on their uniforms. Commonly called a CAR, the ribbon can be a major source of pride among servicemembers, especially in an era where deploying to active combat is less likely than in previous decades. Oscar Austin, one of the Navy's newest ships, departed Norfolk, Virginia, Sept. 30, 2024, where it had been homeported since the ship was commissioned in 2000. In October, it pulled into its new home, Naval Station Rota, Spain, where it is now assigned to the U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet, headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. As part of the USS Harry S. Truman strike group, the ship sailed into the Red Sea in April. There, the Austin provided air defense against rockets and missile attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. On April 27, U.S. Central Command announced it had been conducting 'an intense and sustained campaign' targeting the Houthis since mid-March called Operation Rough Rider. Officials said they were 'intentionally' limiting details of the ongoing or future attacks but said they targeted command-and-control facilities, air defense systems, advanced weapons manufacturing facilities and weapons storage facilities with drones, ballistic and cruise missiles. While operating in the Red Sea, sailors were exposed to various airborne threats and 'acted swiftly and professionally,' according to a Navy news release. The crew provided air and missile defense against Houthi attacks on commercial ships transiting international waters. In May, the ship returned to the Eastern Mediterranean. 'Executing multiple missions across two theaters, Oscar Austin displayed the immense versatility of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer: from conducting ballistic missile defense in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to seamlessly integrating with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group in the Red Sea,' Cmdr. David Nicolas, who took Command in May said in a release. 'But overall, it was the crew's grit and resiliency that fueled the ship's success throughout the patrol.' Along with earning the ship's combat award, six officers earned Surface Warfare Officer pins, 78 enlisted sailors got Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist pins. A Marine Corps reply-all email apocalypse has an incredible real-life ending Army shuts down its sole active-duty information operations command Army plans to close more than 20 base museums in major reduction Former Green Beret nominated to top Pentagon position to oversee special ops The Navy's new recruiting commercial puts the 'dirt wars' in the past
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Charlotte native serves with the next generation of Navy rescue swimmers
PENSACOLA, FL (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A Charlotte native serving in the U.S. Navy is learning crucial skills needed to perform rescues in extreme situations. Airman Keira Makkar is a 2023 Myers Park High School graduate, who joined the Navy six months ago. Makkar now serves as a student rescue swimmer at the Aviation Rescue Swimmer School. At the Naval Air Station Pensacola, rescue swimmers learn aviation water survival training and become CPR certified. They're also taught how to execute life-or-death rescues in extreme conditions. 'I joined the Navy looking for other opportunities,' Makkar said. 'I was looking for a positive change that would challenge me and set me up for a better future.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
D-Day anniversary events remember the ‘Bedford Boys'
BEDFORD, Va. (WFXR) — The anniversary of D-Day is a particularly somber one for the Town of Bedford, which has been home to the National D-Day Memorial since 2001. The town lost 20 young men while they were storming the beaches of Normandy, giving Bedford, a town of just over 3,200 at the time, the highest per capita death toll from D-Day. Executive Director of the Bedford Boys Tribute Center Ken Parker says 19 of those men were killed within the first nine minutes, without ever having fired a shot. 'They gave up all their tomorrows for our today,' said Parker. 'They perpetually teach us that freedom is not free.' At the National D-Day Memorial, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke in front of hundreds, including 10 of the few surviving World War II veterans. He called on listeners to remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives that day, many of whom, he pointed out, were barely old enough to graduate high school at the time. Clarence 'Bill' Wenzel was one of those men, just 17 at the time he joined the Navy during World War II. On Friday morning, he recalled the moment he was notified that he had been drafted. National D-Day memorial in Bedford commemorates 80th anniversary of D-Day 'I didn't like being drafted to go to war, because I was raised by a pastor,' said Wenzel. 'I was taught to love everybody and now here I'm being trained on how to kill another human being.' Later in the day, dozens gathered outside the Bedford County Courthouse for the annual wreath-laying ceremony for those 20 'Bedford Boys.' On the 10-year anniversary of D-Day, roughly 5,000 met at the courthouse for the dedication of a memorial stone shipped from France to honor the boys. Every year over the next four decades, two of the surviving 'Bedford Boys,' met at the stone to lay an ivy wreath at its base in honor of their fallen brothers. On the 81st anniversary, the town carried on that tradition, as relatives of those two men had the honor of placing the ivy wreath by the stone, while the descendants of the fallen 'Bedford Boys,' looked on. 'It's without a doubt the highlight of our entire year,' said Parker. 'To pay homage and respect to our beloved Bedford Boys.' Finally, at 6:44 p.m., a nod to June of 1944, all the church bells in town rang for one minute, while the bell atop the courthouse rang once for each of the 'Bedford Boys,' that laid down their lives in service of their country. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
