USS Abraham Lincoln heads home after 270 days at sea

The USS Abraham Lincoln is heading back to the United States after more than 270 consecutive days at sea, as supply disruptions and prolonged deployment have raised concerns over conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, according to a report by The Independent.

The carrier, which left its home port in San Diego on November 21, 2025, has been operating in the region during the US-Iran war. Its crew includes around 5,000 sailors and Marines.

The ship’s supply situation was complicated after Iranian attacks severely damaged the US Navy’s Naval Support Activity, the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet, according to The Independent.

Reports said that the Navy subsequently shifted much of its logistics operation to Diego Garcia, a remote UK-administered island in the Indian Ocean located around 2,200 miles from Bahrain.

Read more: USS George Washington arrives in Middle East to relieve USS Abraham Lincoln

The change reportedly contributed to shortages aboard the Lincoln, while the crew also lost access to a nearby port that would normally provide opportunities for shore leave.

Concerns over conditions

In recent weeks, relatives of sailors have described poor conditions aboard the carrier, including limited food supplies, mold in showers, broken toilets and irregular laundry services.

One sailor reportedly went overboard on August 3 while wearing a life vest and was rescued after nearly an hour in the water. Other sailors were reportedly prevented from jumping overboard.

The reports have raised concerns about the impact of the carrier’s unusually long deployment on the crew.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected reports that conditions aboard the ship had been seriously neglected, saying on August 13 that the situation had been "completely misrepresented."

US President Donald Trump also dismissed concerns about the length of the deployment, saying on August 14 that it was "not nearly long enough."

Carrier rotation

The Pentagon is now rotating the Lincoln out of the region. The USS George Washington has arrived in the US Central Command area of operations and is expected to take over from the Lincoln.

Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper visited the Lincoln during a 10-day trip to the Middle East and praised its crew for what he described as one of the most operationally intense deployments of the modern era.

The Lincoln has also continued receiving supplies at sea, including fuel from the USNS Henry J. Kaiser.

The carrier is expected to return to San Diego within the coming weeks, ending one of the longest continuous deployments by a US aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War era.

Meanwhile, the US military is reviewing its broader presence in the Middle East following Iranian attacks on American bases and facilities across the region, with officials considering whether to reduce the US military footprint after the war.