The USS Abraham Lincoln is leaving the Middle East after a roughly nine-month deployment, ending an unusually extended mission that drew scrutiny over crew welfare and operating conditions.
A U.S. official confirmed the departure of the USS Abraham Lincoln from the Middle East, as reported by CBS News on Thursday. The sailors and Marines on board are now heading back home, and the carrier is expected to arrive at its home port in San Diego in about three weeks.
The USS George Washington, a U.S. aircraft carrier based in Japan, has reached the Middle East to fill the void left by the USS Lincoln.
USS Lincoln Endures Extended Deployment
The USS Abraham Lincoln’s deployment has been under scrutiny due to its extended duration and reported conditions on board. U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper defended the crew’s resilience, stating that the carrier had “among the lowest” number of mental health cases across the Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers.
