USS Abraham Lincoln Saga

By Poseidon, 8 September 2026

There was a huge amount of adverse publicity recently in the media stemming from complaints from some members of the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to family members in the USA. My understanding is that most of those complaints were from young sailors complaining to their parents about conditions onboard and general poor morale. The carrier had been deployed from its home port in San Diego for over nine months, broken up only by a one-day stop in Guam en route to the operating area in the Northern Arabian Sea. It should come as no surprise to readers that young sailors are not happy to be at sea in an aircraft carrier continuously for nine months in a high-stress environment of 24/7 flight ops with 5,600 other sailors and naval aviators.

Unexpectedly, war against Iran had commenced 28 February 2026 with attacks mounted from a range of American ships, including Abraham Lincoln. It would not have helped that the President added uncertainty to the duration and nature of the mission, by stating that the war would be over in 5-6 weeks and five months later they were still on station, launching strikes against Iran. Meanwhile several support facilities in the area had been attacked by Iranian missiles and drones, particularly the US Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Food supplies apparently suffered greatly, and still there was no rest and recuperation (R&R) for the carrier and its complement.

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Current Issue: Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026)

Our first article explores China’s rise as a shipbuilding powerhouse. The second marks the 35^th anniversary of the Gulf War by discussing Canada’s role. The third argues that RCN veterans are strategic assets who should be treated and trained accordingly. The final essay reviews defence capabilities now being ordered or built, especially for the Arctic, despite the lack of a new defence policy.

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