Eight U.S. sailors have attempted suicide throughout the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s extended deployment to the Middle East, according to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.

The aircraft carrier has been at sea for more than 300 days following its November 2025 departure from San Diego. The prolonged time on the water sparked concerns about the sailors’ morale and mental health during a nearly yearlong voyage that overlapped with the first six months of the Iran war.