After Nine Months at Sea: U.S. Sends George Washington Aircraft Carrier to Replace Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East

The United States plans to deploy the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Middle East to replace the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

The latter has been at sea for nearly nine months, according to Task & Purpose.

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which has been operating in the South China Sea until now, is being redeployed as part of a scheduled rotation. The exact date of its arrival in the region has not yet been disclosed.

The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego in November 2025 and is currently on a mission in the Middle East as part of operations against Iran. The ship has not made any port calls since December.

The families of the service members report that the crew’s morale and psychological well-being have deteriorated due to prolonged deployment and a demanding pace of duty. There have also been reports of problems with the quality and quantity of food on board.

The Pentagon and military commanders deny the sharp decline in morale or issues with nutrition.

U.S. Central Command stated that there has been no increase in the number of suicide attempts on the ship, and the re-enlistment rate stands at 84.4%.