Altogether, the Abraham Lincoln’s planned six-month deployment lasted 322 days, and might have lasted even longer if not for a morale crisis during the late summer.

The United States Navy’s supercarriers have been described as floating cities, as they house crews of more than 5,000 sailors and Marines. Each of the US Navy’s 11 nuclear-powered flattops runs on its own power grid, has medical and dental facilities, and ship stores. Still, life onboard a carrier isn’t exactly idyllic, as it offers little in the way of the workplace and home separation found in a normal city.

That point needs to be remembered as the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) arrived at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, on Thursday afternoon, ending its grueling 322-day deployment. The voyage was the second-longest time at sea for any aircraft carrier since the end of the Cold War, and it was far from a pleasure cruise for those on board.

As previously reported, much of the Lincoln’s recent mission was in the Middle East, where tensions remained at elevated levels, as CVN-72 supported combat operations against Iran. In addition, the crew had to deal with such issues as moldy showers, broken toilets and laundry facilities, no hot water, substandard meals, and a lack of access to basic necessities like soap and deodorant.

The proverbial voyage of the damned finally ended on Thursday, with families ready to greet their loved ones as the USS Abraham Lincoln sailed into San Diego harbor.

“USS Abraham Lincoln and the entire Carrier Strike Group team set a new standard of excellence through their extraordinary conduct during this historic deployment,” wrote Rear Adm. Robert Loughran, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3, in a Navy media statement. “I am incredibly proud of each and every Sailor, Marine, and member of this team for what they have accomplished under the most demanding conditions. Their professionalism, resilience, and combat effectiveness have been unmatched. We now look forward with great excitement to their well-earned reunion with family and loved ones.”

How the USS Abraham Lincoln’s Routine Deployment Went Sideways

When the USS Abraham Lincoln departed from Naval Base San Diego on November 21, 2025, it was expected to be a six-month patrol of the Indo-Pacific, operating with allies and partners. Until the middle of January, it was about as routine for a carrier deployment as it gets.

Then CVN-72 was dispatched to the Middle East as the United States military began to move assets to confront Iran and to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, eliminate its naval and military capabilities, and to sever its support for regional proxy groups. Operation Epic Fury, the full-scale air campaign against Iran, began on February 28, 2026.

According to the US Navy, “The carrier and its strike group, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3, spearheaded the US Navy’s involvement in Operation Epic Fury, taking the lead role on the southern Iranian coast as Commander, Task Force (CTF) 50. CSG-3, with Abraham Lincoln at its center, supported 40 days of major combat operations, involving nearly 4,000 combat sorties from CVW-9.”

Following the April 8 ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, the mission changed, with CVN-72 and CSG-3 enforcing a maritime blockade in the region. For months, the carrier and its escorts were forced to remain at sea. The USS Abraham Lincoln couldn’t make standard port calls in the region without risking devastating Iranian missile and drone strikes; a similar wave of strikes had significantly damaged the US Navy’s key regional resupply and support hub, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, inside the Strait of Hormuz.

The loss of the resupply and logistics base at Bahrain severely restricted the Navy’s ability to dock, rest, and resupply the carrier safely in the region. In addition, the persistent strike threats from Iran forced the ship to remain at sea for extended, record-setting stretches; in total, it operated for more than 250 consecutive days without a traditional port.

That combined lack of port calls, supply constraints, and prolonged isolation led to severe physical and mental health challenges for the 5,000 sailors aboard, drawing sharp scrutiny from lawmakers and families before the ship was finally relieved and scheduled for liberty ports outside the zone.

In late August, the Abraham Lincoln was finally relieved and began its trip home, and finally made a port call to Thailand in early September. For much of the crew, it was the first time they set foot on dry land in months.

“Conducting major combat operations, enforcing two naval blockades, and demonstrating our presence and power projection capabilities in multiple Numbered Fleets, all while keeping an unprecedented operational tempo for a long period of time, is truly remarkable, and demonstrates the strength and resilience of the 5,000 Sailors and Marines across this strike group,” said US Navy Capt. Dan Keeler, commanding officer of the USS Abraham Lincoln. “This team is literally rewriting the book of what an aircraft carrier is capable of, and it has been awe-inspiring to watch them grow as a team through this historic deployment.”

The arrival at Naval Base San Diego came one day after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth paid a visit to the warship to thank the crew for their sacrifice and to present the Presidential Unit Citation – the highest unit award – to the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG-3).

The Lincoln’s Next Deployment Will Be from Naval Base Kitsap

The USS Abraham Lincoln returned home truly worse for wear. When it arrived in Pattaya, Thailand, last month, ship spotters were quick to note the state of the warship as it was covered in algae and rust. The extended time at sea took a toll on the warship, and Thai workers did give it a bit of a cleaning to ensure it looked better than when it arrived.

Those and many other issues will be addressed in the coming weeks.

Later this year or in early 2027, CVN-72 will travel from San Diego to Bremerton, Washington, and it will head into dry dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility, the specialized industrial shipyard located within Naval Base Kitsap.

The US Navy’s ninth Nimitz-class supercarrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, concluded a Drydocking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) at the facility, a process that lasted approximately 17 months. Given the age of CVN-72 and its condition, the DPIA could be further extended, meaning CVN-72 won’t be heading out on another patrol until at least the middle of 2028 at the earliest.

That should be good news for the crew, who may want to stay on dry land for a while!

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

The post The USS Abraham Lincoln Is Back in Port—At Last appeared first on The National Interest.