A U.S. official confirmed on Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has departed the Middle East, ending a nine-month deployment. The ship and its roughly 5,000 crew members, including sailors and Marines, are currently traveling toward their home port in San Diego. The USS George Washington, a Japan-based aircraft carrier, has arrived in the Middle East to take over operations.
The USS Abraham Lincoln originally departed San Diego on Nov. 21. While at sea, the mission was extended due to the war with Iran, which began in February. During its time in the region, the carrier functioned as a primary launch site for thousands of aircraft flights conducted in support of military strikes.
The deployment has been marked by reports from family members regarding conditions on the ship. Relatives have expressed concerns to media outlets, including the Military Times and Stars and Stripes, regarding food shortages, sanitary conditions, and the mental health of the crew. The Navy is currently investigating an Aug. 3 incident in which a sailor was recovered after falling overboard. While family members reported concerns about mental health, the Navy stated it has not seen an increase in reported suicide attempts or suicidal ideation.
The scale of this operation involves a multi-week transit across the ocean for a massive nuclear-powered vessel and its thousands of personnel. For the households involved, this marks the end of a deployment that lasted roughly 270 days, significantly longer than originally anticipated when they departed last November. The concrete change for these service members will be the shift from active military strikes and reported shortages of food and sanitation to a return to San Diego. The arrival of the USS George Washington ensures that U.S. naval presence in the Middle East remains constant despite the departure of the Lincoln.
The concerns raised by families have reached high levels of the U.S. government, sparking reactions from the executive branch and leadership in the Department of Defense. While President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed the severity of the complaints, and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao described the media coverage as dishonest, U.S. Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper acknowledged the unique challenges and stressors of sea duty during a recent visit to the ship. The next step in this process is the ship’s arrival in San Diego, which is expected to take approximately three weeks from its departure date.