Due to the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East, the U.S. Navy has no operational aircraft carriers in the Pacific

The U.S. Navy is facing a shortage of operational aircraft carriers in the Pacific, largely due to the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) from the 7th Fleet to the 5th Fleet in the Middle East. This deployment decision followed a phone call between U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after a preemptive strike against Hezbollah on August 25.

In addition to the news of the USS Abraham Lincoln’s transit with escort destroyers—intended to bolster the U.S. military presence in the Middle East—the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) has shifted its home port from Yokosuka, Japan, to Bremerton, Washington. As a result, the U.S. has created a critical void in the Western Pacific, as other carriers based there are either in port or undergoing maintenance periods.

It is worth noting that, of the six carriers in the Pacific, the USS Carl Vinson recently participated in RIMPAC 2024, the USS Ronald Reagan completed a home port change to Naval Base Kitsap, the USS Nimitz finished a planned six-month incremental availability for maintenance, and the USS George Washington was in San Diego for crew and equipment exchange with the USS Ronald Reagan.

For at least three weeks, the Pacific will lack a U.S. carrier presence, considering also the regional security threats and tensions. This region has recently seen incidents like the collision between a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel in the South China Sea.

By the end of next month, the USS George Washington (CVN 73) is expected to be operating in the 7th Fleet in Yokosuka as the next advanced deployment carrier for the U.S. Navy. However, with commitments in the Middle East, maintenance periods, and the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. carrier fleet is operating at the edge of its capacity.

The current situation highlights a significant challenge for the U.S. Navy in terms of response capability and global power projection. Indeed, the U.S. military is struggling to maintain a strategic balance in various parts of the world where active conflicts and rising tensions could potentially lead to armed confrontations.

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