Is South China Sea warship breakdown a sign US is ‘taxing reserve capacity’?

After USS Benfold lost power for four days last month, analysts say prolonged operations in the Middle East could be taking a toll

The USS Benfold lost power due to an engineering failure involving its generators on July 24, the US Navy said in a statement cited by USNI News on Friday.

It left the nearly 10,000-tonne Arleigh Burke-class vessel stalled for four days without power in the South China Sea.

US Seventh Fleet spokesman Commander Matthew Comer said in the statement that the destroyer lost power while conducting routine operations in the Indo-Pacific with the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group.