After over 200 days at sea, U.S. aircraft carrier arrives in Thailand - reuters.com

The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at the port of Laem Chabang near Pattaya, Thailand, on Wednesday morning. The arrival marks the first port call for the 100,000-ton vessel after an exceptionally long deployment at sea. The carrier, carrying approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines, was guided into port by tugboats with dozens of warplanes lined up on its flight deck. Reports on the exact duration of the deployment vary, with some accounts citing 286 days at sea and others stating it was over 200 days or more than eight months.

The USS Abraham Lincoln originally departed San Diego, California, on November 21, 2025. Although initially scheduled for duty in the South China Sea, the carrier was rerouted to the Middle East to conduct combat and blockade operations during the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which began six months ago. According to US Senator Richard Blumenthal, the vessel set a modern-era record for consecutive days at sea during these operations. The carrier was recently relieved of its operational duties by the Japan-based USS George Washington, allowing the Lincoln to begin its journey back to Southern California, where it is expected to return later this year.

The prolonged