US Senator Richard Blumenthal has demanded answers from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao over the living and working conditions of sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea for more than 250 days. Anadolu reported that Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, raised concerns in a letter on Wednesday.
He said the carrier has reportedly faced shortages of basic equipment, water contamination, plumbing problems, deteriorating sailor mental health, safety risks on deck and major disruption to mail services. Many care packages sent to the carrier have allegedly been lost in transit for months.
Blumenthal said the USS Abraham Lincoln left Naval Station San Diego on November 21, 2025. The deployment was initially planned for seven months and the carrier was expected to return in May, but the deployment was later extended. No public return date has been announced.
The senator said the carrier has remained at sea for more than 200 consecutive days without stopping at a port, which would be a record for continuous time at sea. The prolonged deployment has raised questions about whether the Navy can simultaneously manage growing operational demands on its aircraft carriers, protect sailors’ welfare, maintain equipment readiness and carry out scheduled maintenance.
Blumenthal said the allegations require a prompt investigation. He also questioned whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo imposed on its aircraft carriers over the long term. He said the Lincoln’s extended deployment was especially significant amid ongoing US military operations involving Iran and the possibility that the US naval presence in the region could continue.
He warned that if the administration intends to sustain long-term military operations or a larger carrier presence in the region, it must explain how it will ensure current demands do not create future readiness problems for the Navy. He also said prolonged deployments increase the inherent risks of working aboard an aircraft carrier, where sailors handle jet engines, fuel, weapons, heavy equipment and electrical systems, in addition to the possibility of attacks by an adversary.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report