New aircraft carrier heads to Middle East to relieve USS Lincoln after reported issues

A new United States aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, is deploying to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been on an unusually long deployment. The USS Lincoln has been at sea for approximately nine months, including a record-setting period of over 200 days without a port call, leading to growing concerns about the well-being of its approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines.

Reports from family members and some lawmakers have highlighted alleged issues aboard the USS Lincoln, including mental health challenges, with some media outlets reporting multiple instances of sailors attempting to go overboard. Additionally, there have been concerns raised about deteriorating living conditions such as moldy showers, broken plumbing, shortages of basic hygiene supplies, and disruptions in food and mail delivery due to the sustained deployment in a contested environment supporting U.S. operations against Iran.

While the Navy has acknowledged the strain of extended deployments and stated that mental health professionals are available, it has pushed back on claims of an increase in suicidal ideation or attempts on board. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also dismissed some reports of dire conditions as "completely misrepresented." The USS Lincoln was initially deployed in November 2025 and was redirected to the Middle East in January 2026, ahead of the U.S. war with Iran, to support military operations and a naval blockade.