Carrier Lincoln Leaves South China Sea, USS Tripoli Back Underway

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) sailing past Singapore on Jan. 18, 2026 just before midnight local time. Photo by Lim Zerui, Benjamin used with permission This post has been updated with photos of USS Abraham Lincoln sailing through the Strait of Malacca.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) entered the Malacca Strait late Sunday local time en route to the Indian Ocean, according to ship spotters. Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 and destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr .

(DDG-121), USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) entered the Malacca Strait around 11 p.m. local time, having cleared the Singapore Strait, Marine Traffic shows. A photo posted on social media by a local ship spotter confirmed the track.

The carr