Shocking photos show “rusty” USS Abraham Lincoln after record deployment for Iran war

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Laem Chabang port in Thailand this week covered in extensive rust from bow to stern, shocking observers after a marathon deployment.

Photos showed prominent “running rust,” worn and chipped paint, and algae buildup along the hull, waterline, flight deck edges, and sponsons, a stark contrast to its cleaner appearance during a brief stop in Guam last December.

The warship left its home port in San Diego on November 21, 2025, and has spent 286 days at sea, much of it in continuous high-tempo operations.

It supported combat and maritime blockade missions against Iran in the Middle East for months after being redirected from the Pacific, with only limited brief stops for supplies in Guam and Oman.

Aircraft carriers typically make port calls every 30 to 45 days for maintenance and rest; the Lincoln’s stretch far exceeded modern records, including more than 200 consecutive days without a full liberty call.

Experts described the corrosion as expected after prolonged exposure to saltwater without major upkeep opportunities, especially during combat.

“Rust along the waterline is not unusual on a ship that has spent 60 days or more of operations continuously at sea,” said Carl Schuster to CNN, a former US Navy captain who served three tours on Nimitz-class carriers.

He noted that fixing it at sea is impractical in operational conditions, requiring crews to be lowered to sand off rust, apply rust-preventative primer, and repaint with naval gray—work he estimated would take about 30 days of preservation efforts.

Other specialists echoed that the damage appears largely cosmetic and does not impair the carrier’s operations.

Retired US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Murrett told Newsweek the hull condition and missing paint at the waterline were “consistent” with more than nine months at sea.

William Freer, a research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, observed that while the wear looks extensive, the fact that a ship commissioned in 1989 could sustain such a prolonged period “is testament to the U.S. Navy’s ability to put ships through their operational paces when the need arises.”

Photos of accompanying ships in the strike group showed similar mottled coatings and rust.

The deployment also drew attention to the human toll on the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard.

Families and lawmakers raised concerns about mental health strain, limited port relief, and earlier supply issues including hygiene products and living conditions, though Navy officials stated no meals were missed, some mental health cases were treated without loss of life, and the ship maintained strong retention rates.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao previously described the crew as having been “pushed to their limits” while affirming the deployment’s success in a combat zone.

This stop in Thailand marks the carrier’s first full rest-and-relaxation port call of the deployment, expected to last several days and give the crew a break before the voyage home to San Diego.

Limited priority maintenance, including addressing rust in high-exposure areas like the bow, may occur while docked.

The Lincoln was relieved in the Middle East by the USS George Washington and is now operating in the 7th Fleet area as it returns.