The U.S. military is preparing to send the USS George Washington to the Middle East as part of a scheduled carrier rotation, replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln after a deployment of more than 250 days that has prompted congressional concerns over supply shortages, maintenance problems and sailor fatigue.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The United States is preparing to rotate a new aircraft carrier into the Middle East as the USS Abraham Lincoln nears the end of an unusually prolonged deployment that has kept its crew at sea for months while supporting U.S. military operations against Iran.
The USS George Washington is expected to replace the Lincoln under a previously scheduled deployment plan, according to U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Officials said plans to send the George Washington were already in place before members of Congress began publicly raising concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln.
The rotation would allow the Pentagon to maintain an aircraft carrier presence in the region while giving the Lincoln and its crew relief after more than eight months on deployment.
The Lincoln departed on its scheduled deployment in November but was redirected to the Middle East in January as the United States prepared for war with Iran.
Aircraft operating from the carrier later played a major role in Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran.
Following those strikes, the Lincoln remained in the region and participated in the blockade of Iranian ports as the conflict continued.
The extended operational tempo has kept the carrier deployed for more than 250 days.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the Lincoln has also gone approximately 200 days without making a port call, which he described as a record stretch at sea.
That lengthy period without normal port access has prompted scrutiny of living and working conditions aboard the ship.
Blumenthal wrote War Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao this week requesting information about the situation facing sailors aboard the Lincoln.
The senator cited reports involving shortages of basic necessities, problems with contaminated water, plumbing failures, safety issues, interruptions in mail delivery and deteriorating mental health among members of the crew.
Previous reports also indicated that sailors were dealing with food shortages and dwindling supplies of routine personal items, including toothpaste and soap.
The conditions have fueled broader concerns about exhaustion among personnel who have remained at sea for months without the regular breaks that accompany port visits.
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said Thursday that he also intends to seek answers from the Pentagon and Trump administration about conditions aboard the carrier.
“At the end of the day, we know that those who are serving have to have comfort knowing that they’re getting properly taken care of,” Stutzman told CNN.
Lawmakers have placed particular emphasis on the cumulative effect of a prolonged deployment in an active conflict zone.
In addition to concerns about access to food, water and other supplies, members of Congress have raised questions about the mental health of sailors working through an extended period of sustained operations.
The planned arrival of the George Washington would provide a replacement carrier without reducing the U.S. naval presence in the Middle East.
Because the deployment was scheduled before congressional complaints over the Lincoln emerged, officials have characterized the move as a normal rotation rather than a response ordered specifically because of the reported conditions aboard the ship.
The timing, however, would allow the Lincoln’s crew to leave the region after one of the most demanding portions of its deployment.
Since being diverted to the Middle East, the Lincoln has supported offensive operations against Iran, participated in the continuing maritime blockade and remained at sea for roughly 200 consecutive days without a port call.
Sending the George Washington would allow those missions to continue under a fresh carrier strike group while the Lincoln begins moving out of the prolonged operational cycle.
The rotation comes as the United States continues its conflict with Iran and seeks to preserve substantial naval and air power in the region without further extending the Lincoln’s deployment and the strain on its crew.
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