US Navy destroyer spent four days without power last month in South China Sea

Key Points:

• The USS Benfold, a US Navy guided-missile destroyer, lost power for four days in late July while operating in the South China Sea, resulting in non-functional toilets, galley services, and air conditioning amid high temperatures.
• The power loss was caused by an engineering failure involving the ship's generators, and the incident is under investigation; no crew injuries were reported, and the crew managed the situation with professionalism.
• During the outage, the USS Robert Smalls and other ships in the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group provided support, including cooked meals, before the Benfold was towed to Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs completed by August 8.
• This incident highlights growing concerns about the strain on the US Navy due to multiple global commitments, including operations related to the Iran war, with recent reports of low morale and mental health issues among sailors.
• The USS Benfold incident follows a similar power loss on the USS Higgins in May, both involving Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which are key assets in the US Navy’s surface fleet.