What Went Wrong on the U.S.S. Lincoln?

Name: What Went Wrong on the U.S.S. Lincoln?
Uploaded: 2026-08-25T01:33:20-07:00
Duration: 28 min 24 s
Channel: New York Times Podcasts
Description: The USS Abraham Lincoln is enduring a 9-month deployment with severe logistical failures due to the destruction of the Naval Support Activity Bahrain…

New York Times Podcasts

00:28:24 Summary & quotes Report Issue

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About this episode The USS Abraham Lincoln is enduring a 9-month deployment with severe logistical failures due to the destructio… AI summary

The USS Abraham Lincoln is enduring a 9-month deployment with severe logistical failures due to the destruction of the Naval Support Activity Bahrain base by Iran, forcing supply lines to extend 2,200 miles to Diego Garcia. This has resulted in critical crew fatigue, inadequate food rations, and unaddressed maintenance issues, while simultaneously creating a strategic vacuum in the Pacific by diverting the USS George Washington from its forward-deployed position in Japan.

Key takeaways 5

Logistical Collapse: The destruction of the Bahrain base on day one of the conflict eliminated the primary logistics hub, forcing resupply runs from Diego Garcia (2,200 miles away) which takes over 5 days each way, causing severe shortages of fresh food and preventing routine maintenance.
Safety Hazards: Extended deployments without port calls lead to physical degradation of the ship, such as the breakdown of nonskid coating on flight decks, and severe crew fatigue where 16-18 hour workdays and sleep deprivation create safety risks comparable to operating heavy machinery with a 0.1 blood alcohol content.
Strategic Vulnerability: The US Navy is forced to pull the USS George Washington from its forward-deployed position in Yokosuka, Japan, to relieve the Lincoln, leaving the South China Sea and Western Pacific without a carrier deterrent against China and North Korea.
No Safe Ports: No regional ports can safely host an aircraft carrier due to Iranian missile and drone range; attempting to dock in places like Fujairah would leave the ship vulnerable for hours during the slow process of entering/exiting port.
Deployment Norms: While 6-7 months is standard for peacetime and 8-9 months became routine post-9/11, the Lincoln's deployment lacks any liberty ports or breaks, extending beyond historical norms even for Vietnam-era carriers which rotated back to Subic Bay monthly.

Notable quotes 5 AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.

“I was like, 'Are you hungry? This is not okay. We're expecting people to fight for our country and yet we're not giving them a full meal.' That blows my mind.”

▶ 1:38 A sailor's wife describing the inadequate food rations (bacon and chicken wings) sent by her husband.
“Being stuck on a ship with your colleagues under such intense conditions... lack of sleep has been shown to... being awake for 24 hours is like having a 0.1 blood alcohol content. And fatigue creates safety problems.”

▶ 9:31 Guest John Isme explaining the physical and mental toll of 16-18 hour workdays and chronic fatigue.
“If an arresting cable snaps, that can cut people in half, literally... deaths on these deployments are not unheard of and so chronic fatigue is what gets people hurt or worse.”

▶ 11:14 Illustrating the lethal risks associated with operating heavy machinery on flight decks while fatigued.
“It's like pulling the goalie... That's what the carrier in Japan has always been. And right now that carrier is heading to the Middle East and leaves the South China Sea... without a carrier ready to go.”

▶ 22:57 Describing the strategic cost of moving the USS George Washington from Japan to relieve the Lincoln.
“We don't even want a port call right now. Like, screw it. We just want to get home. We don't want you to try and throw us a bone like a consolation prize... Just plot a course for San Diego and let's get out of here.”

▶ 25:38 Sailors' expressed desire to end the deployment immediately rather than stop at intermediate ports.