The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, which had been deployed to the Iran war, entered Thailand for rest and maintenance after completing 286 days of operations.
As images showed parts of the 355-meter hull covered in rust and moss, concerns are growing over the prolonged deployment of U.S. carrier forces.
According to CNN, the Lincoln entered Laem Chabang Port in Thailand on the 2nd. After leaving its home port of San Diego, United States, in Nov. last year, it remained at sea for about nine months carrying out operations.
U.S. military news outlet TWZ said, "It endured 286 days at sea without a port call due to grueling combat against Iran," and added, "As a result, it bears scars akin to medals."
Long rust streaks were left down both sides of the Lincoln's hull. Rust and moss also clung to the edges of the flight deck and around the sponsons (projecting decks).
TWZ assessed, "It is a somewhat surprising sight for a warship that is the most powerful vessel on Earth and a core symbol of U.S. military strength, but at the same time, it is evidence of the hardship endured for months," adding, "It looked like it had been to hell and back."
However, experts said that given the Lincoln's deployment length, the rusty exterior itself is entirely within expectations.
Carl Schuster, a former U.S. Navy captain who served on a Nimitz-class carrier like the Lincoln, told CNN, "It is not unusual to see rust along the waterline of a warship that has operated at sea for more than 60 consecutive days."
He added, "Rust is not something you can fix in the middle of combat," explaining, "You have to go down to the waterline, scrape off the rust, apply two coats of anti-corrosion paint, and then add two more coats of gray naval paint." It is expected to take about a month to completely remove the rust from the Lincoln.
The rust issue on U.S. Navy vessels has been repeatedly pointed out by President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress.
John P. A. (John Pailen) then–Navy secretary said last year that President Trump would call late at night about rust problems and noted, "The president told me multiple times, 'Take care of that damn rust right now.'"
The problem is not only rust. With the Lincoln deployed on extended operations, concerns have repeatedly been raised about unstable resupply, declining crew morale, and mental health care.
TWZ noted, "The Lincoln's current condition is an extreme case brought on by a very specific operational situation," but added, "The strain on carrier forces has accumulated for years and is now becoming a low-burning crisis."
Other U.S. carriers are also being sent on long deployments. The Gerald R. Ford completed an ultra-long 326-day deployment in May, and the Theodore Roosevelt will also have to conduct continuous operations for at least eight months.
TWZ criticized that as carrier deployment periods lengthen, conditions inevitably worsen, affecting not only personnel management but also scheduled maintenance and major overhaul and modernization timelines.