The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) docked at Laem Chabang, Thailand, earlier today, marking its first port visit where sailors will be afforded liberty ashore since departing Naval Base San Diego, California, on November 21, 2025. The carrier made a brief one day logistics stop in Guam on December 11 before departing the following day and continuing west. Lincoln arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in the Middle East on January 26, 2026, where it supported combat operations against Iran for months before being relieved by the USS George Washington (CVN-73) approximately two weeks ago. The port visit in Thailand comes after one of the longest sustained operational periods for a U.S. aircraft carrier in recent years, giving the crew its first opportunity for a significant liberty port visit since leaving San Diego. Photo: Reuters

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) has left the Middle East after 274 days deployed, with the carrier strike group now operating in the Indian Ocean under U.S. 7th Fleet, according to USNI. The carrier departed San Diego on Nov. 25 and has been at sea since its last port visit in Guam on Dec. 11—more than eight months without a port call, breaking the previous 206-day record set by USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during the COVID-19 pandemic. The unusually long deployment was compounded by the loss of regional logistics hubs following Iranian attacks, forcing Navy supply ships to travel thousands of miles to sustain the carrier and other forces operating in the Arabian Sea. The Navy says resupply problems improved after new supply lines were established. Lincoln is being replaced in the region by the forward deployed USS George Washington (CVN-73), which arrived two days ago and will join USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) to maintain a two carrier presence amid the war with Iran. From the Western Indian Ocean, it will take Lincoln 3-4 weeks to transit across the Pacific back to San Diego. An open question is whether the ship will make a port call on the way home, which would extend the deployment a few days. The Navy is now dealing with a broader pattern of extended deployments: USNI notes that carrier deployments since October 2023 have averaged about 8½ months, while USS Gerald R. Ford recently completed a record 326-day deployment. Source:

A U.S. Navy E-2D Hawkeye command and control aircraft lands aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) as the aircraft carrier sails in the Arabian Sea supporting military operations in the Middle East.

CENTCOM: U.S. SAILORS WORK ON THE FLIGHT DECK OF USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73), AUG. 20, AS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER TRANSITS THE ARABIAN SEA. THE GEORGE WASHINGTON CARRIER STRIKE GROUP IS OPERATING IN MIDDLE EAST DURING A SCHEDULED DEPLOYMENT AFTER ARRIVING IN THE CENTCOM THEATER YESTERDAY.

It takes hundreds of U.S. Navy Sailors to keep flight operations running smoothly aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). From maintainers to the air traffic control center, each Sailor plays a critical role.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CSG) entered the Arabian Sea yesterday and is now operating within the CENTCOM area of operations. The strike group is centered on the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) and includes the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG-62) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG-86). With the arrival of the Washington CSG, the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) CSG will soon begin its month long journey home to San Diego.