Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he had received reports of shortages of basic supplies, contaminated water, plumbing problems, deteriorating mental health and deck safety concerns aboard the aircraft carrier.

He also raised concerns over disruptions to the ship’s mail system, saying some care packages sent to sailors had reportedly been lost in transit for months.

According to Blumenthal, the Lincoln left Naval Base San Diego on November 21, 2025, for a deployment initially expected to last seven months.

Its return was scheduled for May, but the deployment has since been extended, with no publicly announced date for the carrier’s return.

The senator said the ship has gone more than 200 days without a port call, which he described as a record for consecutive days at sea.

The prolonged deployment has raised broader questions over whether the US Navy can sustain the operational demands placed on its aircraft carrier fleet while maintaining crew welfare, equipment readiness and scheduled maintenance, Blumenthal said.

“These reports warrant immediate attention,” he wrote, while questioning whether the navy can maintain the operational tempo demanded of its carrier force without creating future readiness problems.

The senator said the Lincoln’s extended deployment was particularly significant amid ongoing US military operations involving Iran and the possibility of a prolonged American naval presence in the region.

“If the administration intends to maintain a prolonged military campaign or an elevated carrier presence in the region, it must explain how it intends to ensure today’s operational requirements do not create tomorrow’s readiness crisis,” Blumenthal wrote.

He warned that extended deployments could compound the risks associated with operating an aircraft carrier, where sailors work around jet engines, fuel, weapons, heavy machinery and electrical systems while facing potential threats from adversaries.

Questions over fatigue, morale and mental health

Blumenthal said fatigue, deferred maintenance and limited opportunities for rest and recovery could further increase those risks.

He asked the Pentagon to explain how it plans to sustain carrier strike group operations in the Middle East over the next 12 to 24 months if current operational demands continue.

Concerns over the crew’s well-being have intensified following reports that sailors aboard the carrier attempted to go overboard during its prolonged deployment.

Reports by Navy Times and Stars and Stripes described multiple incidents involving sailors allegedly attempting to jump overboard as the carrier entered its ninth month at sea.

The USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines, has reportedly spent more than 250 consecutive days without a port visit, adding to concerns among military families and lawmakers over the strain of the extended deployment.