As the USS Abraham Lincoln’s mission in the Middle East has been extended, U.S. Central Command shared footage of the USS George H. W. Bush operating in the Arabian Sea. The footage, released Saturday, showed fighter jets taking off from the flight deck of the nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
The command said the USS George H. W. Bush was supporting security in the Middle East and was among the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers operating in the region.
Mission change for the Lincoln
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that the USS Abraham Lincoln would leave the region and be replaced by a similar ship. The statement came amid debate over the aircraft carrier’s extended mission in the region.
The USS Lincoln has been on duty for more than 250 days and has not made a port visit in the past 200 days. The ship began its mission in November and was redirected to the Middle East in January, before the U.S. war with Iran.
Crew’s living conditions under scrutiny
The extended mission has increased concerns among USS Lincoln crew members’ families about supply delays and mental health problems. The U.S. Navy denied reports of a broader mental health crisis aboard the ship and said it had detected no increase in suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts.
Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said the USS Lincoln would return to the United States shortly as part of its planned mission rotation.
Senator sends letter to defense officials
In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concerns about conditions aboard the USS Lincoln. Blumenthal pointed to questions surrounding shortages of essential supplies, water contamination, plumbing problems, worsening mental health and deck safety.
The senator also raised concerns about mail disruptions that had caused care packages to be delayed for months.
The USS George Washington left the Yokosuka base in Japan in May for a Pacific patrol and was seen earlier this week moving west through the Strait of Malacca.
