Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group arrives in Guam

11 December 2025

From Carrier Strike Group Three (CSG 3) Public Affairs

APRA HARBOR, Guam — Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3, surface ships from Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG), and the embarked staffs of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, arrived for a scheduled port visit, Dec. 11.

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U.S. Navy Sailors look out over Guam on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while mooring for a scheduled port visit in Guam, Dec. 11, 2025. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. Units assigned to 7th Fleet conduct regular Indo-Pacific patrols to deter aggression, strengthen alliances and partnerships, and advance peace through strength. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman)

ABECSG, composed of the air wing of the future and a modernized Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer as the integrated air and missile defense commander (IAMDC), is capable of conducting simultaneous operations in multiple domains and warfare areas, operating the most advanced technology with skilled and highly trained personnel.

"Our Strike Group presence in 7th Fleet waters demonstrates our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Rear Adm. Todd Whalen, commander, ABECSG. “Port calls to strategic locations like Guam enhance our mission readiness and help us stay ready to execute maritime operations in theater.”

Guam, part of the U.S. homeland, is a critical nexus for command and control, logistics, and power projection in the Indo-Pacific. Abraham Lincoln is the second aircraft carrier to visit the island this month, following USS George Washington (CVN 73) on Dec. 1. Guam’s strategic value comes in its capability to support enhanced logistics for numerous forward-deployed U.S. military units including aircraft carriers and their strike group combatants. Alongside Abraham Lincoln, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Spruance (DDG 111), USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112), and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) from the ABECSG will join the carrier for scheduled stops in Guam.

“My crew is excited to be back in this area of the world, and we look forward to demonstrating what an aircraft carrier and carrier strike group bring to the fight,” said Capt. Dan Keeler, Abraham Lincoln’s commanding officer. “Our Sailors are eager to learn from new cultures and strengthen partnerships across the region throughout our deployment.”

Abraham Lincoln is the fifth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and was commissioned Nov. 11, 1989. The ship completed a scheduled U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet deployment in 2024, returning to San Diego in late December 2024. In August 2025, Abraham Lincoln participated in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command joint exercise Northern Edge 2025 in and around the Gulf of Alaska.

ABECSG is conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet, the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.