The Navy is testing Oura Rings on 1,600 sailors aboard the USS Gerald R Ford to monitor fatigue and improve sleep, aiming to reduce risks from exhaustion-linked operational failures.
The United States Navy’s largest warship will soon serve as a test bed to study the effects of fatigue. Approximately 1,600 sailors will board the USS Gerald R Ford, which is equipped with the Oura Ring. This fitness tracking device will monitor their sleep duration and quality. It will also track other biometric indicators, including body temperature, blood oxygen level, heart rate, and the individual’s movement during the day.
The fitness trackers will be linked to the nuclear-powered supercarrier’s Starlink Internet network, which allows the data to be collected securely and anonymously and then uploaded so that US Navy researchers in San Diego can track trends and determine whether the crew is being pushed too hard.
US Sailors Aren’t Getting Enough Sleep
Even as the United States Department of Defense (DoD) has placed a greater focus on warfighting, concerns persist that sailors are facing issues with fatigue. A tired and overworked crew won’t be combat effective, but fatigue can still be a significant concern even in peacetime.
The US Navy determined that two incidents in 2017 involving the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald and USS John S McCain resulted from fatigue. Both warships collided with commercial vessels, resulting in the deaths of seven sailors on the USS Fitzgerald, while 10 sailors were killed on board the USS John S McCain. Investigators found that the crews hadn’t slept enough, with some officers awake for more than 24 hours during the collisions.
The US Navy implemented changes, including an update to the watchstanding schedule to better align with natural circadian rhythms, as reported by the Military Times. However, a 2021 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report suggested that the sea service collect fatigue data from the crew. The watchdog found that, two years later, insufficient progress had been made.
The CREW Program Slowly Makes Progress
The Naval Health Research Center launched the Command Readiness, Endurance, and Watchstanding (CREW) program in 2021 and issued wearables to the first sailors, but a lack of funding has meant little progress has been made on the effort.
“There’s no program of record; no resource sponsor,” Dr. John Cordle, a human factors engineer with the US Navy, told Military Times. “It’s an example of a fleet initiative that needs to find a home, up in Washington, but has yet to become interesting enough for that to happen.”
However, this could change with the 1,600 sailors serving on USS Gerald R. Ford set to be equipped with fitness trackers. That may result in a large enough sampling of sailor data to help researchers respond by addressing issues with fatigue.
The fact that sailor data is being tracked could also set off alarm bells, mainly after it was determined in 2018 that the Strava fitness app installed on smartphones had inadvertently revealed the movements of military personnel. This shouldn’t be the case with the Oura Rings, because the devices don’t transmit GPS signals, and the fitness trackers only connect to a smartphone or device via Bluetooth when needed.
The data is collected via the warship’s secure Starlink network.
“The Chinese can’t find a ship because the crew is wearing Oura rings,” Cordle added.
According to Military Times, participation in this study was voluntary, while sailors were given some incentives. First, those who agreed and wore the Oura rings for at least 75 percent of their respective deployments were allowed to keep the device, which retails for around $200. In addition, it tracks 20 different biometrics, which sailors can also monitor themselves. Those who don’t meet the 75 percent deployment threshold only need to return the ring.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/John Arehart.
