The U.S. military is sending a new aircraft carrier to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days in support of the war against Iran, U.S. media reported, citing officials.
The USS George Washington, the U.S. Navy’s “premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier” in the Pacific, was spotted Thursday transiting the Strait of Malacca, which links the Pacific and Indian oceans.
A Navy official confirmed to USNI News, the U.S. Naval Institute’s online news and analysis portal, that the aircraft carrier was moving westward after passing through the Singapore Strait.
The deployment came amid growing concerns over conditions aboard the Lincoln, including reported shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deck safety concerns, mail disruptions, and deteriorating mental health among the crew onboard.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the Lincoln hasn’t made a port call in 200 days during its extended deployment in the Iran war, setting a record for consecutive days at sea.
Amid the strain of the war, the U.S. military has lost about 25 percent of its MQ-9 Reaper drones, The Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing three U.S. officials.
Each drone can cost between 30 million U.S. dollars and 50 million dollars depending on the type of sensors and weapons it carries, putting the total value of the losses at more than 1.3 billion dollars, it said.
COURTESY: Xinhua
