USS George Washington carrier strike group arrives in Arabian Sea to relieve USS Lincoln
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The USS George Washington carrier strike group arrives in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday as part of a scheduled deployment, CENTCOM said on Thursday. The carrier is to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is returning to the United States after roughly 250 days at sea. The handover leaves the US without an aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific.
Key Facts
- The USS George Washington began operations in its new region on Wednesday after entering the US Central Command area of responsibility.
- The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to the United States after a deployment that set a US naval record for the longest without a port stop.
- The shift leaves the US without an aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific despite Washington’s strategic emphasis on the region.
- Families of crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries about 5,000 sailors and Marines, reported a mental health toll, including accounts of individuals seeking to jump overboard.
- President Donald Trump announced on Thursday what he called a “crushing economic operation” against Iran.
Carrier Rotation
The USS George Washington carrier strike group entered the US Central Command area of responsibility on Wednesday and began operations in its new region, CENTCOM said on Thursday. The carrier is to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is returning to the United States. The USS Abraham Lincoln had been on an uninterrupted mission for about 250 days. The Navy said last week the Lincoln would rotate back to the US after leaving San Diego in November and being rerouted after the war with Iran began on February 28. The shift leaves the US without an aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific despite Washington’s strategic emphasis on the region.
Crew Conditions and Outcry
Reports last week described paltry food and hygiene supplies and maintenance issues aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after months at sea. Families of several members of the approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines on board detailed the mission’s mental health toll, including accounts to US media of individuals seeking to jump overboard. Several Democratic legislators charged that the situation reflected the Trump administration’s poor planning for the war and called for an investigation. Trump administration and Pentagon officials largely dismissed the reports as misleading, saying those aboard were experiencing wartime austerity. The Pentagon decided on the rotation after reports of psychological strain among the crew from the prolonged mission.
Hormuz and Iran Tension
Iran has continued to vow to assert its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, even as the US says it has made progress in increasing traffic in the waterway. A CENTCOM spokesperson said on Thursday that the military had facilitated the passage of 1,300 ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration has said it can maintain its blockade on Iran’s ports indefinitely. There has been no indication that talks between the US and Iran would resume soon after a memorandum of understanding aimed at a lasting end to the war expired on Monday. On Thursday, Trump announced what he described as a “crushing economic operation” against Iran.
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USS George Washington carrier strike group arrives in Arabian Sea to relieve USS Lincoln
