The relief of Fitz's Command Triad (CO, XO, CMC) and the signs that most of the Watch at time of collision is also up for NJP is an indication that it's an operational and personnel issue, not one of equipment. It was already clear by photos of the damage that Fitz was the Give-Way vessel and should have maneuvered to avoid the collision (Starboard Side damage forward of Amidships).
McCain was the stand-on vessel since she was struck port-side, which means she could NOT maneuver until it was clear that the Give-Way was not maneuvering safely to avoid a collision approach. The Straits of Malacca aren't as big as you think - there's hundreds of major motor vessels making the the transit daily, and in the dark at 0524L, there's not enough room to be overly cautious - COLREGs wouldn't let you anyway as the stand-on.
Militaries are a microcosm of the societies from which they came, mistakes are made because they're human. The question becomes - was the failure one of equipment, procedure or personnel? You'll find in most cases, it's a combination of all three, but certainly in Fitz's case, it's looking more and more like a Personnel fault. McCain? Too soon to tell, but the blow port-side already tells a story that Alnic MC's watch wasn't up to par.
