Overview
- The guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold lost power on July 24, 2026 and drifted for four days with propulsion, toilets, galley service, air conditioning and some potable-water systems affected.
- Ships from the Japan-based George Washington carrier strike group provided meals and support while contracted tugs towed Benfold to Subic Bay in the Philippines for repair work.
- Ship Repair Facility – Japan RMC restored power and completed repairs by early August and the destroyer subsequently visited Yokosuka and departed port.
- The Navy reported no crew injuries and praised the sailors’ response while saying the technical cause remains under official investigation.
- The Benfold failure is the second reported destroyer power casualty in the Indo-Pacific this year and has renewed questions about maintenance, prolonged deployments and fleet readiness as carrier forces rotate toward the Middle East.