U.S. Central Command announced Thursday that the USS George Washington and its carrier strike group have entered the CENTCOM area of responsibility and begun operating in the Middle East. According to CENTCOM, the aircraft carrier is currently sailing in the Arabian Sea after arriving in the theater Wednesday.
U.S. Sailors work on the flight deck of USS George Washington (CVN 73), Aug. 20, as the aircraft carrier transits the Arabian Sea. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday. pic.twitter.com/DEkHHukHeI
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 20, 2026
Footage released by CENTCOM showed American sailors working on the carrier’s flight deck. The command said the George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in the region as part of a planned deployment. Its arrival follows reports in recent days that the carrier was being sent from the Pacific to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has remained in the region during an extended deployment. U.S. officials confirmed the planned rotation, while President Donald Trump also said the Lincoln was expected to be replaced by another aircraft carrier.
The Abraham Lincoln has been deployed since November 2025 and was transferred to the Middle East in January. U.S. reports have raised questions about the strain the prolonged deployment has placed on its crew and the length of the mission. The arrival of the George Washington will allow the Lincoln to rotate out while preserving the substantial U.S. air and naval presence currently deployed across the region.