A new US Navy carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, the military confirmed on Thursday. The group’s arrival comes amid growing concerns about another aircraft carrier that has been on extended deployment in the region.
US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said that the George Washington Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the region as part of a scheduled deployment, adding that it arrived in the CENTCOM area of operations on Wednesday.
The strike group is led by the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington, the Navy’s only carrier that is permanently forward-deployed to Japan.
The George Washington’s departure from Japan has left the Navy without an aircraft carrier in the Western Pacific, despite US efforts to counter China’s military presence in the region.
The George Washington is expected to replace the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 270 days on an extended deployment supporting combat operations against Iran.
Reports have emerged this month detailing mental health struggles and supply issues aboard the Lincoln, home to roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines. Multiple reports have featured families of sailors expressing serious concerns about deteriorating living conditions and the overall well-being of the ship’s crew. Some sailors are said to have attempted to go overboard.
Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has sharply criticised media reporting on the Lincoln, calling the media “shameless” and “reckless” and accusing outlets of intentionally misrepresenting conditions on the ship. President Donald Trump also dismissed the reported concerns. He said last Friday that the Lincoln is “being replaced with another very similar ship.”
Hung Cao, the acting Navy secretary, said last week that the Lincoln “crushed their deployment and will return home soon as part of a planned rotation.”
