The embarked F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) recently carried out routine air operations within the area of responsibility of the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, as part of naval exercises conducted in the South China Sea and adjacent areas of the Indo-Pacific.
According to information released by the U.S. Navy, the Super Hornets took off from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of activities aimed at maintaining the operational readiness of the embarked air wing. These operations are framed within regular missions intended to deter hostile actions, strengthen regional alliances and partnerships, and sustain the U.S. naval presence in one of the most heavily trafficked and strategically relevant maritime areas in the world.
The air maneuvers were complemented by ship self-defense exercises. In this context, the aircraft carrier carried out live-fire drills with its point-defense weapons system. According to official material released by the U.S. Navy, “the USS Abraham Lincoln fires a Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) during live-fire exercises on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy ship while operating in the U.S. Seventh Fleet.”
This type of exercise is part of the periodic training conducted by carrier strike groups to ensure the operability of their defense systems and the coordination among the different units that comprise them.
Naval presence in the Indo-Pacific since December
Since December, the USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the western Pacific Ocean. After completing its deployment from the United States and conducting a scheduled stop on the island of Guam, the aircraft carrier continued its operations in the Philippine Sea, according to official U.S. Navy statements and naval tracking reports.
The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group operates within the area of responsibility of the U.S. 7th Fleet, maintaining a sustained naval presence in the Indo-Pacific. The group is composed of the aircraft carrier itself, its embarked air wing, and the destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111), and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).
In an official statement accompanied by photographic material, the U.S. Navy stated that the USS Abraham Lincoln, as the flagship of its carrier strike group, is conducting routine operations in the region. The text highlights that these activities are part of the U.S. Navy’s ongoing commitment to maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, through naval presence and the continuous training of its deployed forces.
The air operations of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and the associated naval exercises fall within this regular operational framework, with no incidents or extraordinary situations reported during the conduct of the maneuvers.
*Images obtained from the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet account.
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