Reloading a vertical launching system is a challenging maneuver, given the crane must hold missile canisters vertically, while slowly lowering explosives.
What it reveals is something that hasn’t surfaced in any of the Navy’s publicly-released probes or even a secret military “dual-purpose” investigation obtained by Navy Times and completed 41 days after the tragedy.
The Navy is planning to bring back its at-sea missile reloading capability — a move analysts say reflects the growing conventional threats facing the sea service.