Archive · 18 Aug 2026
USS Benfold suffers 4-day power failure in South China Sea
A big warship named the USS Benfold belongs to the United States Navy.
On July 24, the machines on the ship that make electricity stopped working.
This is called a power failure, and it lasted for four days.
Without power, the ship could not steer or move by itself.
The toilets, the kitchen, the air conditioning, and the drinking water did not work either.
No sailors were hurt, and the Navy said the crew stayed calm and professional.
Other ships brought food to the crew, including one called the USS Robert Smalls.
The broken ship was pulled to Subic Bay in the Philippines to be fixed.
Power came back two days after the ship was towed, and the repairs were finished on August 8.
The ship then went back to work, but people are asking whether Navy ships are being asked to do too much while the US is at war with Iran.
The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, lost power for four days after an engineering casualty involving its generators on July 24.
The roughly 10,000-ton ship lost the ability to maneuver independently, along with galley services, toilets, air conditioning, and potable water.
The USS Robert Smalls provided cooked meals, and other vessels from the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group assisted during the outage.
The destroyer was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines, with power restored two days after the July 28 tow; repairs were completed on August 8 and it returned to duty.
No crew injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation, as scrutiny grows over Navy strain amid the Iran war; separately, President Donald Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to 'substantially reduce' annual joint military exercises with South Korea.
- Who
- The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer of the US Navy's 7th Fleet, sailing with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group.
- What
- Suffered a four-day power failure after an engineering casualty involving its generators, losing maneuvering ability, galley services, toilets, air conditioning, and potable water.
- When
- The incident occurred on July 24; the ship was towed on July 28 with power restored two days later, and repairs were completed on August 8.
- Where
- In the South China Sea, per USNI News; the ship was towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs.
- Why
- The cause remains under investigation; the incident highlights strain on the Navy amid prolonged deployments and US military operations against Iran.
Navy's account
Strain concerns
Crew response
Navy's account
The Navy praised the crew's 'resilience, grit, professionalism and unwavering steadiness' and reported no injuries.
Strain concerns
Reports highlight low morale and mental health concerns among crews, citing the USS Abraham Lincoln's more than 240 days without a port call.
Deployment sustainability
Navy's account
The 7th Fleet treated the incident as an engineering casualty handled within the fleet, with the ship returning to duty after repairs.
Strain concerns
The incident raises scrutiny of the Navy's ability to sustain prolonged deployments and competing commitments while the US continues its war against Iran.
- Ship
- USS Benfold, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer
- Displacement
- About 10,000 tons
- Incident date
- July 24
- Duration without power
- 4 days
- Location
- South China Sea (per USNI News)
- Repair location
- Subic Bay, Philippines
- Power restored
- Two days after tow on July 28
- Repairs completed
- August 8
