The U.S. Navy’s Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington has begun heading toward the Middle East, according to Navy statements and publicly available information on the ship’s movements.
The deployment comes as concerns mount over mental health and supply conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been supporting U.S. military operations in the Middle East during the war with Iran and has spent more than 240 consecutive days at sea.
The USS George Washington departed the port of Da Nang, Vietnam, last week, accompanied by a cruiser and a destroyer. The three vessels were subsequently spotted transiting the Singapore Strait.
A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of ship movements, confirmed that the George Washington was in the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Pacific and Indian oceans. Its position indicates that the carrier is continuing toward the Indian Ocean and, ultimately, the Middle East.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the George Washington would replace the Abraham Lincoln in the region.
Abraham Lincoln Faces Prolonged Deployment
The USS Abraham Lincoln is one of two U.S. aircraft carriers currently deployed in the Middle East, where tensions remain high and the U.S. Navy has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports along the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil and natural gas shipments.
The carrier departed San Diego on November 21 and reached the region in January, ahead of the outbreak of the war with Iran on February 28.
The Navy has acknowledged that the conflict created a “highly contested environment” that disrupted traditional supply hubs across the Middle East due to combat operations. The disruption contributed to shortages and delays in mail delivery aboard the carrier, according to the Navy.
Navy officials said the ship’s leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies, beginning with food, followed by hygiene products and mail. The service also said sailors aboard the Lincoln now have access to clean water and healthy meal options.
Lawmakers Demand Answers
Several Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations and greater transparency regarding conditions aboard the Abraham Lincoln.
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said the carrier’s prolonged deployment was particularly significant because it was taking place amid continuing military operations against Iran and the possibility that substantial U.S. naval forces could be required in the region for an extended period.
Navy leaders, including acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, held a tense town hall meeting with families of Lincoln crew members last week. Commanders overseeing the Navy’s air and surface forces pledged to do everything possible to provide relief to the carrier and its crew.
The Navy previously rejected reports of food shortages aboard the ship in April, describing those reports at the time as “false.”
Other Carriers Have Faced Long Deployments
Concerns over prolonged deployments have also affected other U.S. aircraft carriers and raised questions about crew morale.
The USS Gerald R. Ford returned to the United States in mid-May after an 11-month deployment, the longest by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War.
During that deployment, the carrier supported U.S. military operations against Iran as well as the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
