US deploying Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to Middle East.

The United States announced the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, along with a bomber task force, to the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) region, in response to escalatory indications and warnings by Iran in the area.

The USS Abraham Lincoln returning to service after its overhaul in 2017 (Picture Source: U.S. Navy)

Advisor Ambassador John Bolton recently announced in an official statement that "In response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings, the United States is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces."

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (USCSG 12) consists of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) with embarked Carrier Air Wing Seven (CAW 7), Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron Two (DESRON 2) – USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94) and Spanish Navy Alvaro de Bazan-class frigate, ESPS Mendez Nunez (F-104).

As for the bomber task force, it consists of squadrons of the Carrier Air Wing (CAW) 7, which includes the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 and the VFA-143 (F/A-18E Super Hornet), the VFA-86 and VFA-103 (F/A-18F Super Hornet twin-seat jets), the Electronic Attack Squadron 140 (EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft), the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (E-2D Advanced Hawkeye tactical airborne early warning aircraft), the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 79 (MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission naval helicopters), the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 (MH-60S multi-mission naval helicopters), and the Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (C-2A Greyhound carrier onboard delivery aircraft).