US Navy deploys USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in Alaska for joint exercise with Canada.

On August 22, 2025, the US Department of Defense (DoD) reported that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is currently deployed in the Gulf of Alaska for Northern Edge 2025, a large-scale joint exercise led by US Indo-Pacific Command. The exercise began in mid-August 2025 and involves more than 6,400 US service members, approximately 100 aircraft, and seven US and Canadian naval vessels.
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Commissioned on 11 November 1989, the USS Abraham Lincoln was the first Nimitz-class carrier constructed with an Improved Anti-Torpedo Side Protection System in its hull, which enhances underwater damage stability. (Picture source: Facebook/USS Abraham Lincoln)

The Northern Edge exercise is designed to test and improve interoperability, posture, and sustainment across multiple domains, including maritime, air, cyber, and ground operations. It also emphasizes coordination between Indo-Pacific Command and US Northern Command, taking advantage of Alaska’s training ranges to simultaneously rehearse homeland defense and contingency operations relevant to the Indo-Pacific. This year’s event is the first time Northern Edge has been conducted concurrently with Arctic Edge, increasing the scale of integrated training across the Alaskan theater.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is participating as the centerpiece of Carrier Strike Group 3, supported by Destroyer Squadron 21 and three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers: USS O’Kane (DDG 77), USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121). Carrier Air Wing 9 is embarked on the carrier, flying a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft, while Canadian contributions include the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina and an Airbus CC-150 Polaris tanker. A US Navy photo released on 22 August 2025 showed an MH-60S Sea Hawk from HSC-14 preparing to land on the USS Abraham Lincoln’s deck during the exercise, highlighting the tempo of flight operations. In addition to conventional training, Northern Edge 2025 is being used to integrate new weapons, with the AIM-174B long-range air-launched missile—an adaptation of the SM-6—flown from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The missile’s presence aligns with the Navy’s effort to expand long-range air defense and barrier patrol capabilities in operational scenarios.

Commissioned on 11 November 1989, the USS Abraham Lincoln has accumulated over three decades of service in combat operations, deterrence missions, and humanitarian roles. In 1991, the ship conducted Operation Fiery Vigil, embarking thousands of evacuees from the Philippines after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and transporting them to safety. In 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the carrier’s air wing launched strikes during the opening phase of the war, and the ship became the setting for President George W. Bush’s address on 1 May 2003, marking the end of major combat operations in Iraq. These early missions illustrate the carrier’s ability to conduct both humanitarian evacuations and extended combat operations, setting patterns for later employment in diverse scenarios.

The USS Abraham Lincoln also played a central role in disaster relief during Operation Unified Assistance following the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. The carrier strike group delivered significant amounts of humanitarian supplies and conducted thousands of helicopter sorties to remote areas of Indonesia’s Aceh province. Later in its service, the ship transited the Strait of Hormuz in 2012 during a period of heightened tensions with Iran, showing how carriers can operate in contested waterways. Between 2013 and 2017, the USS Abraham Lincoln underwent its Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a mid-life procedure that refueled its nuclear reactors and modernized combat systems, preparing it for another 25 years of service. In 2019, after completing RCOH, it deployed on a 295-day around-the-world cruise that covered the Atlantic, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific, marking the longest US carrier deployment of the post-Cold War period.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier displacing about 100,000 to 104,000 tons when fully loaded. It measures 333 meters in length, with a beam of 76.8 meters, and is powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors driving four steam turbines and four shafts, producing 260,000 shaft horsepower and speeds in excess of 30 knots. Its nuclear propulsion provides an effectively unlimited range between 20- to 25-year refueling cycles. The flight deck spans about 4.5 acres and is equipped with four steam catapults and four arresting wires, allowing for simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft. The ship typically embarks 60 to 70 aircraft but can carry up to 90, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, F-35C Lightning II fighters, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Hawkeyes, and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

The carrier’s defensive systems include two NATO Sea Sparrow missile launchers, two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, and multiple Phalanx CIWS installations for point defense against incoming threats. It also operates advanced radar systems such as the AN/SPS-48E 3D air search radar and AN/SPS-49 long-range radar, along with specialized landing radars for aircraft recovery. The electronic warfare suite AN/SLQ-32 provides radar warning and jamming, supplemented by chaff, flares, and the Nulka decoy system. For anti-torpedo defense, the ship tows the SLQ-25A Nixie system. Following its RCOH, the ship received modernized combat direction systems and communications upgrades, aligning it with later-built Nimitz-class carriers and ensuring continued compatibility with escorts and joint units.

The USS Abraham Lincoln was among the first carriers to adopt the Navy’s “Air Wing of the Future” concept, integrating new technologies into its aviation component. During its 2021–2022 deployment, the ship carried Marine F-35Cs and demonstrated combined operations between fifth-generation and legacy aircraft, including electronic warfare support from Growlers equipped with AN/ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammers. In 2024, the air wing conducted the first-ever combat strikes by F-35C aircraft, targeting Houthi missile facilities in Yemen. Reports also documented the use of the AIM-174B long-range air-to-air missile during exercises, including Northern Edge 2025. These developments align with the Navy’s plan to extend the reach of carrier air wings and improve fleet defense in distributed operations over large maritime spaces.

In 2024, the USS Abraham Lincoln also participated in multinational exercises, including a dual-carrier event with Italy’s carrier Cavour, marking the first US–Italian multi-large-deck operation in the Indo-Pacific. Later that year, it was redirected to the Middle East, where its air wing flew combat sorties and electronic warfare missions. In July 2025, the Navy accelerated its deployment schedule by urgently onloading 1.7 million gallons of JP-5 fuel to surge the ship into the Pacific, demonstrating its importance in large-scale exercises. By August, the USS Abraham Lincoln was in the Gulf of Alaska for Northern Edge 2025, where it launched new missile systems and operated with Canadian and US forces in joint mission sets. These activities reflect its current operational status as a central platform for testing new technologies while maintaining regional deterrence and readiness.

Within Carrier Strike Group 3, the USS Abraham Lincoln embarks the strike group staff and provides command and control functions that integrate aircraft, surface combatants, and joint elements. Escort warships provide layered defense with Aegis air and missile systems, anti-submarine warfare, and land-attack capability, while the carrier generates air power for long-range strike, air superiority, and surveillance. Its role as a mobile command hub allows coordination across domains and integration with allied units during exercises and operations. The ship has participated in RIMPAC, Northern Edge, Talisman Sabre, and other multinational events, reinforcing its role as a platform for both combat readiness and interoperability. With modernization programs continuing, it is expected to remain operational until the late 2030s, serving as a flexible asset for US naval power projection and allied integration worldwide.