US Navy Moves Fresh Carrier Toward Mideast as Lincoln Crew Faces Strain
The USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East as the USS Abraham Lincoln endures a record 240-day deployment with reported shortages.
The US Navy is shifting carrier assets toward the Middle East as the USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed for over 240 days without a port call, faces reported morale and supply problems.
The Pacific-based USS George Washington left Da Nang, Vietnam, last week and has been spotted crossing the Singapore Strait, according to Navy statements and open-source tracking. A Navy official confirmed the carrier, accompanied by a cruiser and a destroyer, is now in the Strait of Malacca, placing it on course for the Indian Ocean.
The move comes as the Lincoln, one of two carriers stationed in the region, continues supporting operations against Iran, including a blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. The carrier departed San Diego in November and arrived in January, ahead of the February 28 start of the Iran war.
The Navy acknowledged that combat operations disrupted traditional supply hubs, leading to shortages of food, hygiene items, and mail aboard the Lincoln. In a statement, Navy leadership said they prioritized mission-critical supplies—first food, then hygiene, then mail—and assured that sailors now have clean water and healthy meal options.
Several Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations and greater transparency into conditions on the ship. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal wrote to Navy leadership, noting that the prolonged deployment is occurring amid ongoing military operations and the possibility of an extended US naval presence in the region.
Last week, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and other leaders held a tense town hall with Lincoln families, where commanders promised to do everything possible to relieve the carrier. Earlier reports of food shortages were dismissed by the Navy as false.
The Lincoln's deployment is among the longest in recent memory. The USS Gerald R. Ford returned in May after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, which included support for the Iran war and operations against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.