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U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Loss in South China Sea

U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Loss in South China Sea

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer, the USS Benfold, suffered a four-day power loss last month while operating in the South China Sea. The incident, caused by an engineering casualty involving its generators, necessitated towing the warship to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs. Power was restored two days after its arrival in Subic Bay. During the outage, essential services such as galley operations, toilets, air conditioning, and potable water were disrupted. The guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls provided meals to the crew, and the strike group supported the destroyer throughout the casualty. No injuries to the crew were reported. The Navy is currently investigating the cause of the failure and has not publicly detailed the impact on the Benfold's propulsion, navigation, communications, sensors, weapons systems, or emergency power.
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U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Suffers Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Suffers Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold experienced a four-day power outage last month while operating in the South China Sea. The incident, which occurred on July 24, was caused by an engineering failure affecting the ship's generators, according to Navy Cmdr. Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the 7th Fleet. During the outage, the USS Benfold lost critical services including functional toilets, galley services, air conditioning, and potable water, in addition to its ability to maneuver independently. The ship, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was on routine operations in the Indo-Pacific when the failure occurred. The U.S. Navy stated that there were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience during the event. The cause of the power outage is currently under investigation. This incident marks the second power loss for a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Pacific Command's area of responsibility this year, following a similar event involving the USS Higgins in May.
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U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Experiences Multi-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Experiences Multi-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold suffered a four-day power outage last month while operating in the South China Sea. The incident, which occurred on July 24, was caused by an 'engineering casualty' involving one of the ship's generators, according to Cmdr. Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the 7th Fleet. The loss of power severely impacted essential services on board, including potable water, galley services, toilets, and air conditioning. Despite the challenging conditions, no injuries to the crew were reported, and their resilience was commended. The USS Benfold received support from other vessels in the George Washington Carrier Strike Group, with the cruiser USS Robert Smalls providing meals to the sailors. The ship was subsequently towed by commercial tugboats to Subic Bay, Philippines, arriving on July 28. Power was restored on July 30, and all necessary repairs were completed by August 7. The USS Benfold departed Subic Bay on August 8, with all systems functioning normally to resume routine op...
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U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Loses Power for Four Days in South China Sea

U.S. Navy Destroyer USS Benfold Loses Power for Four Days in South China Sea

The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold experienced a four-day power outage last month while operating in the South China Sea. The incident, which occurred on July 24, was due to an engineering failure involving the warship's generators. During this period, the USS Benfold was without working toilets, galley services, and air conditioning in the high temperatures of the South China Sea, which averaged between 89 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Navy Cmdr. Matthew Comer, spokesperson for the 7th Fleet, confirmed that there were no injuries to the crew, who demonstrated resilience in their response. The cause of the power outage is currently under investigation. The USS Benfold was eventually towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repairs, which were completed by August 8, allowing the ship to return to duty. A second U.S. warship, the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls, provided cooked meals to the Benfold during the power loss, and other ships from the Japan-based USS George Washington Carrie...
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USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold experienced a four-day power outage last month while deployed in the South China Sea due to an engineering problem. Commander Matthew Comer, a spokesperson for the Navy's 7th Fleet, confirmed the incident, stating there were no injuries to the crew. The loss of power severely impacted essential services on board, including plumbing, meals, toilets, and air conditioning. The issue has since been resolved and is currently under investigation. The incident was not publicly disclosed for nearly a month. During the outage, the USS Benfold received direct support from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group and meals from the USS Robert Smalls. The vessel was eventually towed to Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs, which were completed by August 7, allowing the ship to resume routine operations.
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US Navy destroyer with 300 sailors aboard broke down for four days in the Pacific

US Navy destroyer with 300 sailors aboard broke down for four days in the Pacific

The Navy has confirmed that a destroyer with about 300 sailors aboard suffered a major breakdown in the Pacific Ocean last month that left it without power for four days
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USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea, Undergoes Repairs in Philippines

USS Benfold Experiences Four-Day Power Outage in South China Sea, Undergoes Repairs in Philippines

The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold was without power for four days last month due to an engineering problem while operating in the South China Sea, according to a spokesperson for the Navy's 7th Fleet. The power loss affected essential services on board, including plumbing, meals, toilets, and air conditioning. There were no reported injuries to the crew. The vessel was subsequently towed by contracted tugboats to Subic Bay, Philippines, for repairs. Experts from the Ship Repair Facility - Japan Regional Maintenance Center met the ship upon arrival on July 28. The crew was provided with off-ship lodging and food starting July 29, and power was restored on July 30. All necessary repairs were completed by August 7, and the USS Benfold departed Subic Bay the following day, with all systems functioning normally, to resume routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet. The incident was not publicly disclosed for nearly a month and was first reported by USNI News.
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Philippines sees no impact on defence ties from US Middle East redeployment

Philippines sees no impact on defence ties from US Middle East redeployment

MANILA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The Philippines does not expect a reduction in military activities with its treaty ally the United States amid redeployment of some U.S. defence assets to the Middle East, an official said on Monday. 
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Philippines Considers Expanding BrahMos Missile Acquisition to Counter Chinese Maritime Power

Philippines Considers Expanding BrahMos Missile Acquisition to Counter Chinese Maritime Power

The Philippine Army is reportedly exploring the acquisition of up to nine additional BrahMos coastal missile batteries. This potential expansion would significantly augment the three BrahMos batteries already operated by the Philippine Marine Corps. The proposed Integrated Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System (ISBASMS) initiative aims to transform the Philippines' limited shore-strike capabilities into a distributed archipelagic denial network. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has indicated that the Philippines is in the process of procuring more missiles, and Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio has highlighted operational satisfaction with the existing systems and interest in broader industrial cooperation. This move is seen as a response to escalating tensions with China in the South China Sea, including incidents involving water-cannon attacks, blocking, and ramming near Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal. The BrahMos missile, a joint Indian-Russian development, is a supersonic cruise missile with an appro...
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Defense Secretary Hegseth Dismisses Reports of Poor Conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln Amid Extended Deployment

Defense Secretary Hegseth Dismisses Reports of Poor Conditions on USS Abraham Lincoln Amid Extended Deployment

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has rejected reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, despite the aircraft carrier's deployment extending beyond 250 days. The Lincoln, carrying approximately 5,000 sailors, departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, and has gone over 200 days without a port call. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) raised concerns in a letter to Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, citing reports of supply shortages, contaminated water, plumbing failures, mail disruptions, and worsening mental health among the crew. The carrier's deployment was extended due to U.S. operations against Iran, with the ship being redirected to the Middle East in January after initially deploying to the Indo-Pacific. President Trump had previously described the carrier-led force as a 'massive Armada' during heightened tensions with Tehran. Hegseth, speaking to Newsmax, stated that accounts of poor conditions were 'completely misrepresented' and affirmed that the Navy ensures every...
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President Trump's Social Media Post Signals Shift in US-South Korea Military Exercises, Raising Concerns Among Allies

President Trump's Social Media Post Signals Shift in US-South Korea Military Exercises, Raising Concerns Among Allies

President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he has ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. He cited cost and Seoul's reluctance to join the US 'denuclearisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran' as reasons for the decision. The President also expressed concern that the exercises send an 'inappropriate and hostile' signal to North Korea. This move comes as the US military has redeployed missile defense interceptors from South Korea to the Middle East and withdrawn its last aircraft carrier from the region to focus on operations against Iran. Christian Le Miere, an honorary fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, stated that scaling back support for South Korea could indicate a weakening of American power in the Pacific to North Korea, Russia, and China. Edward Howell, a lecturer at the University of Oxford, noted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been a steadfast ally of Vladimir Putin, supplying Russia with military aid for the conflict in Ukraine.
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The Latest: Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea

The Latest: Trump orders Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea

President Donald Trump is scaling back joint exercises with South Korea as his war against Iran stretches the limits of the U.S. military