Another terrible collision involving a Navy ship raises a question of what in the world is going on. In little more than two months, American military vessels have twice collided with huge ships, with the loss of sailors lives and at a huge cost to taxpayers.

Given that cyberwarfare is rapidly advancing, the collisions make many Americans wonder: Has an adversary somehow managed to tamper with our extraordinarily complex and expensive navigation systems? And what does that mean for our national security? If there were such a problem, would the public even be informed, given the implications?

But technology is far from the only possible explanation. Few of us are expert in the challenges of moving ships in narrow straits amidst other vessels, while dealing with strong currents. And it is proverbially difficult to turn a battleship or a massive cargo vessel.

For its part, the Navy quickly responded to a crash Monday off Singapore involving the guided-missile destroyer John S. McCain named after the father and grandfather of U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and an oil tanker three times its size. Divers Tuesday found missing sailors in flooded compartments of the destroyer. Our heart goes out to the sailors and the families involved.

Navy Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, ordered a one-day operational pause in Navy fleets across the world to try to make sure vessels are operating safely. He also announced an investigation into equipment and how the Navy prepares its forces to operate in the Pacific.

The latest disaster follows the June 17 collision of the destroyer Fitzgerald with a container ship off the coast of Japan. Seven sailors who were sleeping drowned in that mishap. On May 9, the guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel. And on Jan. 31, the guided-missile cruiser Antietam ran aground in Tokyo Bay.

Clearly, a thorough investigation is welcome. Is training sufficient? Are Naval personnel expected to do too much given the resources available to them? Are leaders doing their job? Given that large vessels have multiple ways to avoid collisions, it seems extraordinary that four serious accidents have occurred since the start of the year. The collisions are alarming, too, given that the Navy must contend with the threat of terrorist attack by other vessels.

The review will include, but not be limited to, looking at operational tempo, trends in personnel, material, maintenance and equipment. It will also include a review of how we train and certify our surface warfare community, including tactical and navigational proficiency, Admiral Richardson said.

The state-run China Daily took the opportunity of the tragedy to bash U.S. naval efforts in the South China Sea, complaining that the Navy is becoming a dangerous obstacle in Asian waters. The United States has long taken a position, quite rightly, of ensuring open navigation of the high seas, concluding that its interests and the safety of the world depend on free trade. China, ominously, has been resisting that, insisting it has full sovereignty over the sea.

It is absolutely essential that our Navy personnel have the proper training and technology to avoid collisions. Let's hope the Navy gets to the truth of what is going on here.

Note: This editorial was updated online to include later news.

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Editorial: Another collision on high seas - The Providence Journal