U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to dock in Thailand after record 250-day sea deployment

The USS Abraham Lincoln will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and reports of mental health concerns among its crew.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in over 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers. The ship, carrying roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines, will stop in eastern Thailand for “rest and recreation after their long sea journey,” the official said on condition of anonymity. Thailand’s Navy confirmed a U.S. Navy carrier strike group would make a brief stop, with no exercises planned, but did not name the three vessels or provide a date, citing security concerns .

“The stop is a routine port visit intended to allow personnel to rest and recuperate ... as well as to receive logistical support,” the Thai Navy’s spokesperson said in a statement .

The Lincoln departed its home port of San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, and was later redirected to the Middle East to support U.S. military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The deployment, originally expected to last about six months, stretched beyond typical naval deployments, which usually range between six and nine months but can be extended during conflicts .

Family members of crew members told Military Times this month that multiple sailors had attempted to go overboard amid declining morale. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the reports “completely misrepresented” the conditions on board .

The ship made only one stop in Guam in mid-December before spending more than 250 consecutive days at sea. The journey back to the United States began after the USS George Washington arrived in the Arabian Sea, and the Lincoln could take between four and five weeks to reach San Diego if no unexpected changes occur .

Thailand is the United States’ only treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia, having been a treaty ally since 1954 and a major non-NATO ally since 2003. Both countries’ militaries maintain strong relations .

The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The U.S. Navy has not confirmed the details of the stop, citing operational security reasons .