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The 5,000-strong crew has been at sea since November 2025 and the carrier has been operating in the Middle East since January.
F/A-18E Super Hornet launching from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. (AFP file photo)
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday rejected reports of poor conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, calling claims about life on the aircraft carrier in the Middle East “completely misrepresented” amid its extended deployment during the Iran war.
Hegseth said the US military ensures that every ship and crew receives the support it can provide. “We make sure every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment,” he told reporters during a visit to Panama.
“Some deployments are longer than others, and I have more respect and gratitude for those sailors than anybody. What they do in those high seas in those austere conditions with less port calls — it’s incredible,” he added.
Reports Of Mental Health Strain
The 5,000-strong crew has been at sea since November 2025 and the carrier has been operating in the Middle East since January.
Reports by Navy Times and Stars and Stripes have raised concerns over declining morale and conditions aboard the ship. AFP also reported that two sailors had tried to jump overboard, citing Navy Times.
Jonathan Schroden, chief research officer at the Center for Naval Analyses, told AFP that long deployments could place significant pressure on sailors, particularly during combat operations.
“Even in peacetime conditions, the quarters are cramped, the workdays are long, the food is not great, and it’s difficult to get fresh air, exercise and even a decent night’s sleep,” Schroden said.
Supplies, Plumbing Issues Reported
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said there were reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing problems, deteriorating mental health and deck safety concerns aboard the carrier.
He also raised concerns about disruptions to the mail system, saying some care packages had reportedly been lost in transit for months.
Senator Ruben Gallego has called for an official oversight visit to investigate what he described as “alarming conditions” aboard the ship.
The Lincoln’s deployment has now stretched well beyond the six-month period generally planned for carrier strike groups. Schroden said longer deployments could also increase maintenance costs and affect future readiness.
Replacement Carrier On Way
A US official told Reuters that the USS George Washington is heading to the region to replace the Lincoln, adding that the move had been planned in advance.
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales said US President Donald Trump and Hegseth remained committed to ensuring the military was “equipped with the resources necessary to counter any threat to the United States”.
Despite the reports, Schroden said the Lincoln appeared capable of carrying out its assigned missions, while warning that longer deployments inevitably make conditions harder for those on board.
“But as any sailor knows, the longer a ship is out to sea, the more problems it incurs and the harder the days become for those onboard,” he told AFP.
(With inputs from agencies)
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18The USS George Washington is heading to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been experiencing poor conditions during its extended deployment. This replacement could alleviate the issues faced by sailors on the Lincoln, such as food shortages, broken facilities, and low morale, by allowing them to return home.
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August 14, 2026, 05:52 IST
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