Published Sep 2, 2026, 9:48 AM EDT

It's the first docking of the warship since last November, following myriad reports of poor conditions onboard.

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Published Sep 2, 2026, 9:48 AM EDT

A local resort prepped to host U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, who arrived Wednesday in Thailand for a temporary reprieve following a long and lately controversial deployment in the Middle East. Elements of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) include not just the aforementioned Nimitz-class aircraft carrier but embarked staffs of CSG-3, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, and the nine squadrons of CVW-9 arrived in Laem Chabang, Thailand, on September 2, according to officials. It's the first docking after 286 days at sea. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) docked in nearby Sriracha for scheduled port visits. Also, the Escort Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG 62) also arrived in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, for their own scheduled port visit. “Our arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to rest and recharge. It also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand,” said Rear Adm. Robert E. Loughran, commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, in a statement. “What this strike group has accomplished is truly historic. "I could not be prouder of the exceptional professionalism and expertise demonstrated by every member of this team during our operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.”