New carrier arrives in Middle East

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is now in the Middle East, relieving the USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the Arabian Sea a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days.

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World News

August 20, 2026 - 2:41 PM

In this handout photo obtained from the U.S. Defense Department, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) sail in the Arabian Sea, Feb. 6, 2026. Photo by Handout photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jesse Monford/U.S. Navy via Getty Images/TNS

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Asia-based USS George Washington aircraft carrier is now operating in the Middle East, the U.S. military said Thursday, relieving a long-deployed carrier following reports of mental health challenges and supply shortages aboard while it was supporting the Iran war.

U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said on social media that the carrier arrived in the region Wednesday. It was not clear when the USS Abraham Lincoln would arrive back in the U.S. or whether it would make a port stop along the way, but the journey…

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