[International] USS Lincoln Suffers Crew Strain from Extended Deployment; USS Washington Reportedly Moving from Pacific to Middle East
RtiTalk 小編9d ago
Associated Press reports that following concerns about mental health and supply issues on the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during its extended deployment, the USS George Washington, deployed in the Pacific, has begun sailing towards the Middle East.
The Lincoln has been supporting US operations against Iran and has set a record of over 240 consecutive days at sea without docking. Several Democratic members of Congress are demanding explanations from the Pentagon regarding the situation on board, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stating on the 13th that the situation has been "completely misrepresented."
The prolonged deployment of aircraft carriers during the conflict with Iran has raised concerns about the impact on soldiers long away from home and the increasing strain on ships and equipment.
Although tensions between the US and Iran have eased in recent weeks, the US Navy continues to blockade key Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, and the Trump administration has yet to provide a clear answer on how to end the war.
Hegseth told reporters that the US can maintain the blockade "indefinitely."
USS George Washington Departs Vietnam for the Middle East
The US Navy announced that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier departed Da Nang, Vietnam last week. The carrier, along with a destroyer and a cruiser, has been sighted transiting the Strait of Singapore.
Associated Press, citing an anonymous Navy official, confirmed that the George Washington is currently in the Strait of Malacca, connecting the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and is en route to the Indian Ocean.
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the George Washington would replace the Lincoln, which is one of two aircraft carriers currently deployed in the Middle East.
This move will leave the Pacific without a deployed US aircraft carrier for an unknown period. The Trump administration views China as an "established power" in the region, needing only to prevent Chinese dominance over the US and its allies, rather than treating China as the primary adversary as the Biden administration does.
The Lincoln was originally deployed in San Diego on November 21st of last year, arrived in the Middle East in January of this year, and the US military launched an attack on Iran on February 28th.
The US Navy acknowledged in a statement that the conflict created a "highly competitive environment," disrupting traditional supply hubs in the Middle East due to combat operations, leading to issues of mail shortages and losses on the aircraft carrier.
The statement read, "Leadership prioritized critical mission supplies, first food, then hygiene items, and then mail," and assured that sailors now have access to clean water and "healthy dining options."
Democratic Lawmakers Demand Investigation; Pentagon Defends Conditions on Board
Democratic lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the conditions on the Lincoln to obtain more information and increase transparency. The Lincoln was originally scheduled to return to its home port in May of this year.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Navy leadership requesting an explanation for several issues on the carrier. He wrote, "The prolonged deployment of the Lincoln is significant, occurring amidst ongoing military operations against Iran and the potential need for a sustained large US naval presence in the region."
Representative Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a former Marine, stated on social media that he plans to lead a bipartisan delegation for an official oversight inspection of the Lincoln, calling the treatment of sailors "not only disgusting but dangerous."
Hegseth told reporters during a visit to Panama that he hopes the sailors on the Lincoln can return home and be rotated out soon, but he also refuted reports of problems on board.
Hegseth said, "We ensure that every ship, every sailor, every captain has all the support we can provide at any given moment. Some deployments are longer than others, and I have the utmost respect and gratitude for these sailors. They perform their duties at sea, under difficult conditions, with fewer opportunities to dock, and they do an amazing job."
Senior Navy officials, including Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, held a tense town hall meeting with families of the Lincoln's crew last week. During the meeting, naval aviation and surface force commanders pledged to do their utmost to arrange crew rotations for the Lincoln. MS NOW had previously reported on this meeting.
Reports of food shortages on board first emerged in April of this year, at which time the Navy had refuted the reports as "false."(Editor: Wang Zhi-xin)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=226144
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