A day after returning to sea from a port visit in Dubai, UAE, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) launched its 1,000th sortie mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Dec. 28 in the Arabian Sea.
Lincoln pulled in to the United Arab Emirates Dec. 23-27 with a total of 999 sorties flown supporting OEF and 76 sorties in support of Operation New Dawn (OND) during the ship's 2010-2011 deployment to the Middle East.
The first launch after returning to sea marked the carrier's millennial OEF mission, amassing a total of more than 5,884 hours flown for OEF in just under four months.
Capt. John Eden, commander of Lincoln's embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, said the milestone mission was just business as usual for the air wing.
"Being able to conduct our air mission safely and effectively, day-in and day-out, is what makes us such a formidable force capable of supporting the effort on the ground," said Eden.
"The ability of the Air Wing and the entire Lincoln Strike Group to deliver consistent, reliable firepower is a testament to the dedication of the Sailors who make it all happen."
The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts.
Article by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg, Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs