The USS Abraham Lincoln is returning to the United States after a gruelling deployment of more than 200 days in the Middle East, during which it played a key role in operations linked to the war with Iran. Its return comes as the US Navy prepares the USS Theodore Roosevelt for its own deployment, with officials saying lessons from the Lincoln's punishing patrol are being used to better equip the next carrier group heading into the region.

The Lincoln spent 280 days at sea and 200 days in combat zones, far exceeding the usual 30-to-45-day cycle between port calls, with crew enduring 12-hour shifts seven days a week, shrinking food rations and a two-month WiFi blackout for operational security. Despite the strain, which reportedly triggered mental health crises among some sailors, the crew shot down over 200 Iranian drones and flew more than 10,000 missions before finally getting a rest stop in Pattaya, Thailand. As a direct result, the Theodore Roosevelt will now depart San Diego carrying extra supplies to remain self-sufficient for longer.