Early on Sunday morning, the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln made its passage through waters adjacent to Singapore, beginning the final leg of its journey back to the United States following an intensive, months-long operational deployment to the Middle East. AP journalists positioned on the Indonesian island of Batam, which sits opposite Singapore across the Singapore Strait, visually confirmed the massive warship’s transit shortly after 1 a.m. local time, capturing the vessel as it sailed along the busy international waterway. Scheduled next for the supercarrier is a scheduled port call in Thailand, a stop arranged to give the crew much-needed time ashore before they complete their trip home to their home base in the U.S.
As one of the U.S. Navy’s largest and most capable frontline warships, the Lincoln was deployed to the region to support U.S. military operations focused on Iran. During this deployment, the vessel set an unconventional record: it spent more than 250 consecutive days at sea without making a scheduled port call, a stretch far longer than typical Navy deployments. This unprecedented extended time on operations has sparked growing public and official concern over the welfare of the ship’s crew, with multiple reports emerging that document worsening mental health outcomes among sailors, as well as persistent shortages of critical supplies ranging from fresh food to basic hygiene products.
Thai government officials have publicly confirmed the upcoming port visit, noting that the stop is explicitly intended to allow the crew rest and recovery after their grueling deployment, before the vessel continues on to its return to the United States.