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Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftDonald TrumpTrump, Netanyahu and the Iran questionHow Iran war fallout may shape US electionsA visual guide to redistrictingcaret-rightNews|Donald TrumpUS aircraft carrier expected to relieve USS Lincoln in Middle EastThe USS Washington’s movement comes amid reports of dire conditions on the USS Lincoln amid the ongoing Iran war.
The ship is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently participating in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
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The vessel’s movement on Saturday comes amid mounting concerns about the conditions on board the USS Lincoln, sparked by reports of sailors attempting to jump overboard.
The USS Lincoln has been deployed without a port stop for more than 266 days, a record duration for the Navy. It houses about 5,000 sailors and Marines.
In the wake of reports about supply shortages and mental health strain on the ship, US President Donald Trump and acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao indicated that the vessel would be rotated.
The Pentagon has not confirmed, however, that the USS Lincoln will be replaced by the USS Washington.
O departamento historicamente não comentou sobre movimentos de ativos militares-chave, citando preocupações de segurança.
Analysts note that the USS Washington’s departure from the Pacific leaves no US aircraft carrier in the strategically significant region, where the US has long acted as a bulwark against China’s might.
Members of the Trump administration have spent much of this week batting away reports about deteriorating conditions on the USS Lincoln.
US media outlets have carried reports not only of sailors attempting to leap from the vessel, but also of diminishing hygiene supplies and paltry food, as well as issues with plumbing and waste disposal.
Several US senators have called for more information about the conditions on board and the reason for its record-setting deployment.
Desde que deixou San Diego, Califórnia, no último novembro, o USS Lincoln foi enviado para apoiar operações militares na Venezuela, antes de partir para o Oriente Médio logo em seguida.
Its deployment was supposed to end in May. But after the US and Israel launched a war against Iran in February, its mission was extended indefinitely.
The war with Iran has shown no signs so far of ending, though fighting has remained largely subdued in recent days. Talks have stalled over issues including control of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global trade.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump downplayed concerns about the ship, saying instead the length of the aircraft carrier’s deployment was “not nearly enough”.
A day earlier, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said conditions on board had been “completely misrepresented”.
Em uma declaração separada na sexta-feira, Cao manteve que os problemas a bordo do navio não eram graves, mas ele reconheceu que um pequeno número de casos de saúde mental foi tratado sem perda de vidas.
He added that meal plans had been adjusted “when fresh resupply was unavailable”, but not a single meal had been missed.
Still, some analysts say Iranian attacks have taken a toll on US military assets across the region, particularly a US Navy base in Bahrain. That has likely complicated typical resupply and maintenance procedures for aircraft carriers like the USS Lincoln.
News of the USS Washington’s shift from the Pacific has spurred concern that its departure may further harm US deterrence against China. It was not clear if or when another carrier would be deployed to the region.
Bryan Clark, a former Navy submariner and defence analyst at the Hudson Institute, a think tank, told The Associated Press that Beijing may try to project strength in the aircraft carrier’s absence to unnerve US allies in the region.
Clark acrescentou que não acredita que a mudança em si mesma encorajaria a China a lançar um ataque contra Taiwan, a ilha autogovernada que ela reivindica como sua.
Still, the shift comes as the US contends with a reported depletion in both its offensive and defensive weapon supplies as a result of the war with Iran.
Those shortages have already piqued concerns of a declining US ability to serve as deterrence against military aggression. Critics point out that a country like China, unlike Iran, has advanced military technology and a sprawling air force, which could pose a challenge to the US military.
Like the USS Lincoln, the USS Washington is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. It has the capability to carry more than 6,000 passengers and about 90 aircraft.
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Informação baseada em material público de Al Jazeera, reescrito pela redação ULTRA NOTÍCIAS.
