Carrier spent 286 days at sea; 5,000 personnel visiting Sept 2-6, with Pattaya businesses expecting $3m in spending
A US Marines F-35C Lightning II launches from the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran February 28, 2026. US. Photo: Reuters
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived at Thailand’s Laem Chabang port Wednesday following a deployment that included combat operations in the Iran war and 286 days at sea, the Thai Enquirer reported.
About 5,000 US Navy personnel are visiting Thailand from September 2 to 6, with many expected to spend their shore leave in Pattaya. Businesses in the seaside city anticipate spending of up to 100 million baht ($3 million) during the visit, according to the newspaper.
Pattaya officials held a reception for the crew following their arrival.
The visit follows an extended deployment that included nearly seven months of operations in the US military’s Central Command area.
The carrier strike group conducted combat operations against Iran under Operation Epic Fury and helped enforce what the US Navy described as its largest naval blockade in decades, the Thai Enquirer reported.
Read: Iran claims new naval mines laid in Strait of Hormuz
On August 14, US President Donald Trump said that the USS Abraham Lincoln was being replaced in the Middle East, following concerns over prolonged deployment conditions faced by American sailors.
“That ship is moving right now, or very shortly, and it’s being replaced with another very similar ship,” Trump told reporters when asked about the concerns raised by families of service members aboard the Lincoln.
Asked whether the deployment had gone on too long, Trump responded: “No. Not nearly long enough.”
The US is planning to send the USS George Washington to the Middle East to replace the Lincoln as part of a previously scheduled rotation, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, August 13.
