How US solved a warship problem that could keep them out of action for months

The ability to reload missiles at sea ensures US naval forces remain operational, countering threats without retreating to distant ports The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, forward-deployed to the US 7th Fleet in the Indo-Pacific region, transits the Philippine Sea. By allowing ships to reload missiles at sea, TRAM ensures that the navy can maintain its combat edge even in the face of prolonged conflicts in challenging environments. In regions like the South China Sea, where Chinese forces have heavily militarised islands and posed threats to freedom of navigation, the ability to sustain operations without retreating to distant ports could prove decisive. As tensions continue to rise in the Indo-Pacific, TRAM’s ability to keep US naval forces ready and responsive could prove to be a gamechanger.