The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, returned to routine operations following a four-day total power failure in the South China Sea last month. The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet reported that the ship suffered an "engineering casualty" on July 24, which disabled essential onboard systems until power was restored on July 30.
According to 7th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Comer, the power loss left sailors without air conditioning, working toilets, potable water, or galley service. While the ship was stalled at sea, the crew received support, including meals, from other vessels in the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, specifically the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls.
Contracted tugboats towed the Benfold into Subic Bay, Philippines, on July 28 for emergency repairs. Experts from the Ship Repair Facility – Japan Regional Maintenance Center conducted the work, and the Navy provided the crew with food and lodging off the ship starting July 29. The vessel completed all required repairs and fuel shifts by August 7 before departing Subic Bay on August 8.
The power failure on the Benfold coincides with broader reports regarding equipment and living conditions within the fleet. Specifically, families of sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln have reported concerns regarding food quality, hot water availability, and mental health during an extended deployment. While Vice Adm. Brad Cooper stated that many of those issues had been resolved by leadership, the back-to-back reports have drawn attention to the operational strain on vessels currently deployed to the U.S. Central Command and Indo-Pacific theaters.
The mechanical failure and subsequent four-day tow represent a temporary reduction in available surface combatants for the 7th Fleet’s routine operations in the South China Sea. The Benfold is a key asset equipped with the Aegis Combat System, anti-aircraft missiles, and anti-submarine rockets. Its removal from the line for 15 days—from the initial failure on July 24 to its return to duty on August 8—required coordination with the George Washington Carrier Strike Group to maintain mission coverage. The Navy has not yet released the findings of the investigation into what caused the engineering casualty.