The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrives in Danang on July 3. AFPShow caption: The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrives in Danang…Aircraft carrier to take over from reportedly beleaguered USS Abraham LincolnThe NationalAugust 20, 2026The USS George Washington has arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command said on Thursday, where it is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln amid an unusually long deployment and reports of deteriorating conditions.The aircraft carrier arrived in the region on Wednesday, and its deployment there begins at a moment of uncertainty about the next steps in the Iran war. The newly arrived vessel is based in the Indo-Pacific, where its deployment began in late May. Centcom described its repositioning as a "scheduled redeployment".President Donald Trump confirmed on Friday that the Lincoln would be leaving the region to be replaced with "another, very similar ship". The George Washington enters the region at a tense moment between the US and Iran. While there is no regular exchange of fire, Mr Trump said this week that no talks were taking place, and there seems to be little movement on negotiations between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.The carrier's deployment also comes amid reports of concerning conditions on the Lincoln, which has been deployed for about 260 days. The average deployment time for US aircraft carriers is five to seven months, but this appears to have changed with the Iran conflict.Shortages of basic hygiene items, smaller portions at meals and disruptions to the mail system have been reported. Other reports have mentioned mould in showers, broken toilets and a lack of hot water.There have also been reports of crewmen attempting to jump overboard. The Navy Times reported that families of crewmen have been told several people have attempted to do this. The Trump administration has pushed back on reports of conditions on the Lincoln, with Centcom calling the reports "false" and a "disservice" to military members.Updated: August 20, 2026, 4:27 PM