'Predictable risks': Two more US senators call for independant probe into naval warship conditions

ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAMAUGUST 25, 2026 09:42Two additional US senators demanded answers from the Pentagon regarding the living conditions aboard three naval ships involved in the war against Iran.The letter, shared on Monday by CNN and signed by US Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (Dem. Washington) and Subcommittee on Defense Ranking Member Christopher A. Coons (Dem. Delaware), was addressed to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao.Because of the US Department of Defense's "inability, or refusal, to provide the congressional defense committees with full and accurate information," Murray and Coons called on the US Navy to initiate an independent review of the extended deployments and the issues reported onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford, USS Abraham Lincoln, and the USS Benfold.Senior civilian executives and former military officers should spearhead the investigation, the two said, adding that the review should also "provide recommendations in these areas to improve future extended deployments."Ford was sent to the Middle East in February 2026, about eight months into her deployment. In March, a laundry fire broke out on the ship, took about 30 hours to extinguish, and injured two service members. She docked in Crete for repairs and returned to the US in May 2026, after more than 300 days at sea. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) arrives at the NATO Marathi Pier Complex in Souda Bay, Crete, Greece, during a scheduled port visit on Feb. 23, 2026. (credit: US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Hannah Donahue)Benfold, a Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, went several days without power while deployed in the South China Sea, a US naval spokesperson told CBS News last week, affecting the ship's plumbing, meals, and air conditioning. US officials told CBS that Benfold was being protected by other assets in the region. Controversy onboard the Lincoln reached its peak two weeks ago, when US military news outlets Navy Times and Stars and Stripes reported deteriorating living conditions and worsening mental health among service members. Since then, several letters have been sent to Hegeth and Cao, demanding answers about the reports.Lincoln is now on her way back to the US after 250 days at sea without making a port call since departing San Diego in November 2025. Worsening mental health, morale, supply issuesThe pair note the reports of mental health and morale concerns aboard the warships, as well as supply issues for basic necessities, long mess hall lines, and disrupted and lost mail service."After working long shifts on duty during combat operations, our sailors and Marines should not have to worry about basic day-to-day functions, whether they’ll have a full meal or be able to communicate with their family members," the letter states.Further, Murray and Coons argue that the US Navy was "inadequately prepared for predictable risks" in the war with Iran, including the availability of relief aircraft carrier groups and disruptions to the naval supply chain in the Middle East."We are also concerned about the future unbudgeted maintenance costs for the Ford and Lincoln and the length of time required to complete these repairs," they said, "which have not yet been outlined to Congress despite our requests."What are US Navy's contingency plans?Murray and Coons also request to know whether the Lincoln will make a port call during its journey home, what resources will be available to sailors upon their return home, when the final investigation report on Ford's laundry fire will be submitted, and what steps the US Navy is taking to prevent similar issues from happening on the USS George H.W.Bush, USS George Washington, and other ships deployed to the region. Additionally, the two demand to know what the US Navy's contingency plans were for Ford's extended deployment, supply chain disruptions, and military force requirements in the ongoing conflict as Ford and Lincoln undergo repairs. Murray and Coons granted Hegseth and Cao until September 1 to provide answers and open an independent strategic review into the warships.Follow us on Google