The carrier, which has about 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, is expected to stop in eastern Thailand for rest and recovery before continuing toward its U.S. base. Thai defense officials said the visit is intended to give crew members an opportunity to go ashore and recuperate, and no military exercises are planned during the port call. The Lincoln had been operating in the Middle East in support of U.S. operations against Iran, including maritime activities around the Strait of Hormuz.

The extended deployment has drawn attention to conditions aboard the carrier, with reports raising concerns about crew morale, mental health and shortages of some supplies. The Navy has acknowledged challenges with replenishment during the early stages of the conflict but has said conditions improved. The Lincoln's deployment is among the longest for a U.S. aircraft carrier in the modern era, reflecting the demands placed on the Navy during the prolonged Middle East conflict. Its scheduled stop in Thailand is part of the ship's journey home and comes as another U.S. carrier, the USS George Washington, has moved into the region to assume a Middle East role.