Abraham Lincoln Arrives at Pearl Harbor

By Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for a scheduled port visit, March 10.

Lincoln is currently en route to her homeport of Everett, Wash., following a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility supporting operations in 7th and 5th Fleets.

Lincoln serves as the flagship of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG), which worked alongside coalition partners in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

During the deployment, Abraham Lincoln CSG conducted exercises with coalition countries and other nations, including France, Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Oman; made port visits and conducted community relations and community service projects in Malaysia, Bahrain, UAE, Singapore, Saipan, Philippines, Seychelles, Japan, Israel, Thailand, Australia, Oman, Maldives, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.

The carrier strike group also hosted U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and more than 30 international dignitaries and military officials.

The strike group and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 successfully flew more than 8,300 sorties and completed more than 23,500 flying hours, of which, more than 3,600 sorties and almost 11,000 hours were flown in support of U.S. and coalition ground forces.

Abraham Lincoln CSG played a key part of supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy, which calls for credible combat power to be continuously postured to protect America's vital interests, assuring friends and allies of the United States' continued commitment to regional security and to deter and dissuade potential adversaries.

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is comprised of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9, Carrier Air Wing 2, flagship Abraham Lincoln, guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), and guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92), USS Sterett (DDG 104), USS Halsey (DDG 97) and USS Shoup (DDG 86).