- U.S. carrier strike group fires more than 450 Tomahawk missiles, conducts multiple operations.
- Hegseth praises Lincoln crew's achievements in "Operation Epic Fury."
- Lincoln sets 321-day deployment record, including 264 days without port calls.
- Hegseth awards Presidential Unit Citation to crew in recognition of outstanding performance.
One of the United States' most powerful aircraft carrier strike groups fired more than 450 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles during operations against Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed these details on Oct. 8 when he boarded the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln while it was at sea, a day before its scheduled return to its home port of San Diego. The carrier is expected to return to San Diego after a 321-day deployment that included a record 264 consecutive days at sea without a port call.
Hegseth reviews strike group achievements
Hegseth also reviewed the strike group's achievements over six months: 3,693 combat sorties flown, 1.37 million pounds of ordnance dropped, 450 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles launched, 77 one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles shot down, 64 Iranian vessels sunk, 21 anti-ship cruise missiles destroyed, and defense against four fast attack craft and explosives-laden wooden dhows. Hegseth spent most of his roughly 15-minute remarks praising the Lincoln's crew and its embarked Carrier Air Wing Nine, whose strike group achieved success conducting "Operation Epic Fury" off the Iranian coast from February through August.
According to a news release, those operations included 40 consecutive days of combat beginning Feb. 28, followed by participation in the ongoing, months-long blockade of the Strait of Hormuz against Iran. Hegseth told the crew: "This morning, on this beautiful morning, we are here to recognize, to honor, and to demonstrate... [Donald J. Trump] wanted me to personally thank each and every one of you from the Oval Office for everything you have done here, for your efforts in Operation Epic Fury, ensuring that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon... the subsequent blockade has been impenetrable from day one."
Lincoln sets deployment record
Hegseth's visit came as the Lincoln wrapped up a record 321-day deployment during which the ship spent 264 consecutive days at sea without a port call. That deployment surpassed the 206-day consecutive at-sea record set by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2020. Hegseth added: "We landed on the most beautiful of days, with no one on the flight deck because [the air wing] had already departed, while you landed on a full flight deck during night combat operations in a danger zone, without a single mishap during the deployment."
That is why we are here; the world needs to understand that, and the nation needs to understand that.
To recognize the Lincoln strike group's success conducting Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East for more than five months, Hegseth awarded the crew the Presidential Unit Citation — the highest military decoration that can be bestowed on a unit for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy.
Strategic significance of U.S. military operations
The U.S. carrier strike group's launch of a large number of Tomahawk missiles in operations against Iran demonstrates its military influence in the region. Hegseth's visit and the award ceremony underscore the United States' commitment to maintaining international security, particularly in the context of nuclear proliferation. The Lincoln's extended deployment and its combat performance reflect the U.S. Navy's sustained capability and readiness, which are critical for deterring potential adversarial behavior.