USS Abraham Lincoln leaves the region after record-breaking deployment
Following reports of crew mental health struggles and supply shortages, the USS Abraham Lincoln has ended its 270-day mission and is returning to the US. It will be replaced by the USS George Washington.
The American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is departing the Persian Gulf region after 270 days of deployment. It will be replaced by the USS George Washington, which has been redeployed from the Japan area.
The replacement follows a series of media reports regarding the challenges faced by the ship's crew, including mental health struggles and supply shortages while supporting ongoing military operations. The ship concludes its mission having broken the record for time spent at sea.
Commissioned in 1989, the USS Abraham Lincoln is a massive vessel with a displacement of over 100,000 tons, a length of approximately 332 meters, and a crew of about 5,000 personnel. The ship was built at a cost exceeding 3 billion dollars. It holds a long legacy of activity in the Middle East, including strike and intelligence missions during the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
US Central Command confirmed that the USS George Washington arrived in the region on Wednesday. The Lincoln has begun its transit back to the United States. While it is unclear if the ship will make any port calls, the return voyage is expected to take approximately one month.
