Summary and Key Points: The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier, has arrived in the Middle East earlier than expected to support U.S. interests and deter potential threats from Iran, following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

-The carrier joins USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and brings advanced fighter capabilities with it, including F-35C and F/A-18 Block III jets.

-Additionally, the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN-729) has been deployed to the region, signaling to Tehran the U.S.'s readiness to respond to any aggressive actions.

Aircraft Carrier USS Abraham Lincoln Has Arrived in the Middle East

A second United States Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier arrived in the Middle East on Wednesday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced. The arrival was a bit earlier than expected.

It came after Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and her strike group to "accelerate" its transit to the region, to deter Iran and its proxies from launching an attack on Israel and U.S. interests in the region.

Tehran has vowed to retaliate for Israel's killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital last month.

CVN-72 is set to relieve USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), which was deployed to the Middle East to support the ongoing Prosperity Guardian mission to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since June.

"USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), equipped with F-35C and F/A-18 Block III fighters, entered the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility," CENTCOM announced on Wednesday via X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, is accompanied by Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9."

It remains unclear how long the two carriers may operate together, and the deployment of CVN-71 left a "gap" in the Indo-Pacific. Another Nimitz-class carrier, USS George Washington (CVN-73) has been completing a "hull swap" with USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) and will soon head to her new homeport in Yokosuka, Japan. On August 1, CVN-73 became the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed carrier taking over from CVN-76.

Guided Missile Sub Also on the Way

The U.S. Navy also announced that it had deployed the Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN-729) to the region – a rare public admission of the whereabouts of submarines that are designed to silently and secretly patrol the world's oceans.

The very point of the United States Navy's submarine fleet is that an adversary isn't supposed to know where the boats are at any given time. The nuclear-power vessels have unlimited range and can stay submerged for weeks, even months at a time if necessary. Yet, in this case, the Pentagon absolutely wanted Tehran to know that such a capable vessel was in the region and that it may want to think twice before carrying out any kind of strike that would result in retaliation from Washington.

SSGN-729 was reportedly operating in the Mediterranean when the order came for her deployment to the Red Sea or Persian Gulf, According to USNI News the nuclear-powered boat was still in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. From there it could certainly target Hamas or Hezbollah positions if the need were to arise.

"The department's recent adjustment to the U.S. military posture in the region have enabled us to bolster U.S. force protection, increase support for the defense of Israel and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies," Pentagon spokesperson Mag. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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