During a replenishment operation at sea in the Caribbean Sea, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG-103) collided with the logistics vessel USNS Supply (T-AOE-6), according to confirmation issued by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, February 11 in the afternoon, resulted in two personnel with minor injuries, who are in stable condition. Both units reported having continued their navigation without setbacks, while military authorities initiated an investigation to determine the causes of the event.
The USS Truxtun, belonging to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, had departed from Naval Station Norfolk, in Virginia, on February 3, 2026, to begin a scheduled deployment to the area of responsibility of Southern Command. However, a few days later it had to return unexpectedly to Norfolk due to unplanned technical repairs, after failures were detected in one of its systems. The nature of the issue was not officially detailed, but it forced a temporary interruption of its deployment.
The U.S. Navy did not specify the scope of the work carried out nor the exact date on which navigation was resumed, although different sources would indicate that the unit sailed again on February 6, thus resuming its participation as part of the increase in naval forces deployed in the SOUTHCOM region.
The collision with the USNS Supply, formerly USS Supply (AOE-6) and lead ship of the Supply-class fast combat support ships, occurred during a replenishment-at-sea maneuver (RAS, by its acronym in English). This type of operation allows surface units to receive fuel, ammunition, and supplies without the need to enter port, thereby extending their autonomy at sea. These are highly complex maneuvers, which require exact synchronization between both units while sailing in parallel, in conditions where the state of the sea demands maximum precision and coordination.
No details have yet been provided regarding the extent of the damage suffered by the vessels nor about possible modifications to the current deployment of the USS Truxtun, whose last operational period had ended in October 2025, after operating in the waters of Europe and the Middle East. For the moment, both the destroyer and the support vessel continue sailing under technical evaluation and awaiting the results of the official investigation.
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