The United States is sending the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the Middle East following problems with the Abraham Lincoln
Kyiv • UNN
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier has departed Asia for the Middle East. This happened due to problems with supplies and the psychological state of the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 240 days.
The American aircraft carrier USS George Washington began moving from the Asia-Pacific region toward the Middle East amid reports of supply problems and the psychological state of service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. AP reports, according to UNN.
Details
According to the U.S. Navy, the USS George Washington left the port of Da Nang in Vietnam last week. Along with a cruiser and a destroyer, the aircraft carrier passed through the Singapore Strait and later entered the Strait of Malacca, which leads from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean.
A U.S. military official confirmed that the USS George Washington is heading toward the Indian Ocean. Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that the ship was to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln as one of two American aircraft carriers deployed to the Middle East.
USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for more than 240 days
The USS Abraham Lincoln supported U.S. military operations against Iran and set a record for the longest continuous time at sea — more than 240 days. The ship was initially scheduled to return to the United States in May.
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The prolonged deployment raised concerns about the crew’s service conditions and the strain on the ship and its equipment. The U.S. Navy acknowledged that the war had disrupted traditional supply routes to the Middle East, leading to shortages of some goods and delays in mail delivery.
The leadership prioritized critical goods: food first, then hygiene products, and then mail
The department assured that service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln currently have access to clean water and adequate food.
Amid reports about conditions on the ship, several Democratic American lawmakers called on the Pentagon to conduct an inspection. Senator Richard Blumenthal asked Navy leadership to provide additional information about the situation aboard the ship.
The deployment of the USS George Washington to the Middle East would mean that there would be no American aircraft carriers in the Pacific Ocean for an indefinite period. At the same time, Washington continues to focus military resources on the Middle East because of the conflict with Iran.