This is a term that means stomp on the pedal, then push it through the floor. The top speed on any ship is flank 3. On most engine order telegraphs there is a mark for the maker, Bendix Corp makes most. This mark is located just above Flank 3. So when All Ahead Bendix is called, it means will all possible speed.

Since newer Navy ships have a hollow shaft speed can cause problems, mostly too much torque. The torque can warp and twist the shaft. Along these hollow shafts are torque sensors which have to be calibrated. Since they can be calibrated they can also be fooled into thinking the ship is producing less torque than it actually is. This will allow a newer ship to go faster than advertised.

The Navy build in safety factors to make sure the ships does not cause damage to a shaft or its Main reduction gear. Both of these are very expensive and lengthy repairs. So with this in mind a good engineer can “adjust” as needed to get a few more knots out of their ship.

During a deployment near Israel USS Scott was asked to race one of their patrol boats. Well a DDG against a smaller patrol boat is really not fair. But, they did end up beating them. This was done by tweaking the torque sensors and getting those extra knots out of the ship. How many extra knots over posted speed I cannot say, but let’s just say, it was a bunch! We could run at 34 knots in smooth seas with all four mains running at 100%+. When they raced the Israeli boats they did much better.

So, when the order comes down All Ahead Bendix, it is time to get out the calibration bag and head off to shaft alley for some tweaking.