The U.S. Navy intends to dispatch the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt to the Middle East with five thousand crew members for a seven-month mission, which may extend to eight months.

John Perryman, a senior U.S. Navy petty officer, said the ship’s commanding officer has asked the crew to prepare for an eight-month mission. Theodore Roosevelt is scheduled to deploy from San Diego to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and replace the USS George Washington.

Since the start of military operations against the Iranian government, the U.S. Navy has maintained aircraft carrier deployments in the Arabian Sea. These carriers have participated in attacks on targets in Iran and in a naval blockade.

The deployment of Theodore Roosevelt will take place after the long mission of Abraham Lincoln. The carrier remained at sea without its usual port stop for more than 250 days, and reports emerged of food shortages, facility problems, and a decline in crew morale.

U.S. Navy News data shows that the average deployment length of U.S. aircraft carriers has increased from October 7, 2023, to eight and a half months. The Navy says it has created a new logistics support chain to provide two strike groups in the Arabian Sea.