USS Abraham Lincoln’s record deployment highlights shortfalls of US military readiness
Navy readiness is a finite reserve that has been overstretched by a US military appetite for interventions in the past 50 years that has not tracked with a rise in danger.
The USS Abraham Lincoln completed a record 266-day deployment in 2026, with 200 of those days spent in a combat zone. The ship's crew endured severe mental strain and sleep deprivation, with the Navy admitting that sailors and Marines were pushed to their limits. This deployment, part of the Trump administration's decision to engage in war with Iran, highlights the growing issue of an "overstretched force" and degraded military readiness.
The high operational tempo, or pace and duration of military operations, has led to the military consuming its finite reserve of readiness. In the past two decades, the U.S. has launched an increasing number of military interventions, with the rate more than doubling after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite the waning strategic importance of the countries involved, the U.S. continued to expand its military commitments.
The Navy's deferred maintenance on overseas-based ships and the Army's extended tours have contributed to the physical and mental health issues faced by service members. The lessons learned from previous conflicts, such as the U.S.-Iraq War and the USS Fitzgerald and USS John S. McCain collisions, underscore the need for a balance between military readiness and the well-being of its personnel.
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