The military is reportedly preparing to send a new aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has carrier out a lengthy and complicated deployment as part of the Iran war.
The USS George Washington will take the Lincoln’s place, U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal. The switch is reportedly part of a previously planned rotation.
It comes after sailors and their families have alleged issues on the Lincoln including food shortages, nearly a year at sea without interruption and deteriorating mental health for those onboard.
The Lincoln set sail in November and has gone 200 days without making a port call, according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
“There have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months,” Blumenthal wrote in a letter on Wednesday to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with new information.