USS George Washington arrives in Middle East to relieve Abraham Lincoln

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier reached the Middle East on Wednesday and is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has started its voyage back to the United States following an extended deployment plagued by reported mental health struggles and structural problems, the US military’s Central Command said Thursday.

Carrier Rotation

"The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday," CENTCOM said in a statement released Thursday. The command shared a photograph of the vessel transiting the Arabian Sea with fighter jets visible above its deck. The Lincoln has begun its journey home, CNN reported citing a source familiar with the matter, though a US official told the network the carrier remains within the 5th Fleet’s jurisdiction and continues to operate under CENTCOM authority for the time being.

Conditions Aboard Lincoln

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao this week demanding answers regarding the sustainability of the Navy's current deployment model. Blumenthal cited reports of supply shortages, potential water contamination, plumbing failures, deteriorating mental health, safety concerns and major mail disruptions that left care packages stranded in transit for extended periods. US officials have publicly disputed the severity of these accounts, rejecting descriptions of poor living conditions aboard the carrier despite the mounting concerns.

Regional Deployment

The George Washington serves as the US Navy's only aircraft carrier permanently based overseas, operating from Yokosuka, Japan, before receiving orders to proceed to the region for relief operations. The vessel's arrival comes as the Lincoln concludes its service in relation to the Iran war, which began on February 28 when Washington and Tel Aviv launched military action against Tehran. It remains unclear when the Lincoln will reach its home port or whether planned port calls will occur during the lengthy transit across the Pacific.