--- title: "Where Are The Aircraft Carriers?: October 6, 2026" date: "2026-10-06" modified: "2026-10-06" authors: - name: "Ian Ellis-Jones" job_title: "Head of Audience Development and Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/ian-ellis-jones.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/sea/where-are-the-aircraft-carriers-october-6-2026" categories: - "Carrier Tracker" - "Carriers" - "Sea" --- # Where Are The Aircraft Carriers?: October 6, 2026 ![TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information.]() *TWZ/IAN ELLIS-JONES* Aircraft carrier USS *George H.W. Bush* [arrived]() in Phuket, Thailand, on Sunday for a scheduled port call after 188 days at sea, leaving just one carrier strike group, led by USS *George Washington*, in the Middle East for the [first time]() in months. Across the Pacific, USS *Abraham Lincoln*, which *Washington* relieved in August, is holding off the west coast of California to disembark her air wing and offload ammunition ahead of a well-deserved homecoming this week. With [several]() [outlets]() now confirming that USS *Theodore Roosevelt* will deploy to the Middle East, there very well may be three flattops in the region again, but any overlap will be temporary given normal rotation schedules. *Here’s TWZ’s weekly carrier tracker monitoring America’s flattop fleet, including deployed Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) and Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG), using publicly available open-source information. Check out last week’s report* [*here*]()*.* ![A custom graphic and visual created by TWZ and Ian Ellis-Jones showing the status and position of America's fleet of eleven aircraft carriers and deployed amphibious ready groups.]() ## George H.W. Bush Drops Anchor Off Phuket For Liberty Port Call USS *George H.W. Bush* arrived in Thailand on October 4 for a scheduled port visit, U.S. 7th Fleet [announced](). Guided-missile destroyer USS *Delbert D. Black* escorted the flattop from her previous station in the Arabian Sea and joined the call. *Bush* deployed from the continental U.S. on March 31 and took the long way to the Middle East, rounding the [Cape of Good Hope]() to limit exposure to the [treacherous]() Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb Strait. ![Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), arrives in Phuket, Thailand, Oct. 4, 2026. George H.W. Bush is conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy Photo)]() *USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) arrived in Phuket, Thailand, on October 4, 2026. U.S. Navy photo* On October 3, *Bush* switched her Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponder on about 15 nautical miles southwest of Thailand, broadcasting her position publicly for the first time since April, based on data available via [MarineTraffic](). The carrier dropped anchor approximately two nautical miles off the coast of Phuket the following day. ![Transit of aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush as she arrives in Thailand for a port call. Source: MarineTraffic; reprinted with permission.]() *USS George H.W. Bush's transit into Phuket, Thailand, on October 3. Source: MarineTraffic/KPLER (Reprinted with permission)* *Bush* had been operating in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) since April, when the U.S. briefly had [three carriers]() on station, in support of operations against Iran. "For the last six months, the strike group supported Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. naval blockade in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to secure maritime security and stability in the Middle East," according to the 7th Fleet statement. That force posture was short-lived, however, as the USS *Gerald R. Ford* [transited the Suez Canal]() northbound on May 1 and began her journey home not long after *Bush* arrived. *Bush* chopped into the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) AOR sometime over the past week while en route to Phuket, leaving a single CSG in CENTCOM. The current composition of CSG-10 is USS *Mason*, USS *Ross*, and USS *Donald Cook*, but none of the destroyers joined the flagship in Thailand. Why *Black* escorted the carrier instead is unclear. *Black* [departed]() Mayport, Florida, on January 3, 2026, for an independent deployment and is long overdue for a liberty call after nine months. *Mason* transited the Malacca Strait southbound on September 29, according to public AIS data, and is currently in Singapore; the purpose of the stop is unknown. *Ross* and *Cook* have not broadcast their positions in months, but were last operating in the Arabian Sea. The Navy confirmed this was the first port visit for *Bush* since deploying, marking 188 consecutive days at sea (including the end date), which falls just short of the [200-plus days]() that USS *Abraham Lincoln* recently logged. ![U.S. Sailors signal an MH-60R Sea Hawk attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46 to land aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Sept. 27, 2026. George H.W. Bush is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo)]() *Flight ops aboard CVN 77. U.S. Navy photo* ![Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) sails in U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Sept. 28, 2026. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo)]() *USS Mason in CENTCOM. U.S. Navy photo* ![U.S. Sailors man the rails aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG 119) during a replenishment-at-sea with fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), Sept. 24, 2026. Delbert D. Black is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo)]() *USS Delbert D. Black underway. U.S. Navy photo* ![Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) sails while an MH-60S Sea Hawk, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, flies alongside Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), June 18, 2026. USS George H.W. Bush is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East. (U.S. Navy photo)]() *USS Donald Cook sails while an MH-60S Seahawk flies alongside USS George H.W. Bush in U.S. 5th Fleet. U.S. Navy photo* ## Abraham Lincoln Homecoming Imminent The USS *Abraham Lincoln* reappeared on AIS on October 3, roughly 200 nautical miles southwest of her homeport at Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island in San Diego, after steaming east across the vast Pacific Ocean. However, instead of returning home, *Lincoln* is holding off the coast of California, disembarking Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 and offloading ammunition alongside *Lewis and Clark* class dry cargo ship USNS *Washington Chambers*. ![Aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has returned from a 10 month deployment to the Middle East and currently off the coast of California. Source: MarineTraffic; reprinted with permission.]() *USS Abraham Lincoln's transit off the coast of California. Source: MarineTraffic/KPLER (Reprinted with permission)* *Lincoln* is expected to return home on [Wednesday]() or [Thursday](). The carrier departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, and an arrival this week would close out a total deployment of 321 to 322 days, by our count. That's just shy of the [326-day record]() USS *Gerald R. Ford* set in May, representing the second-longest deployment in the modern carrier era. The marathon deployment drew scrutiny over the grueling conditions Sailors and Marines experienced aboard. In August, crew families described supply shortages and difficult living arrangements, as *TWZ* [reported]() at the time. The accounts led to widespread media coverage, which Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao called dishonest while also [acknowledging]() that "a small number of mental health cases were treated with no loss of life, meal plans were adjusted when fresh resupply was unavailable, without a single meal being missed, calls home were limited when the operational threat was too high." At least eight personnel across the strike group attempted suicide during the cruise, Cao wrote in a letter sent to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand that was [obtained]() by *CNN*. Friends and family welcomed members of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71 [back to]() NAS North Island on Friday, according to a release from DVIDS, the military's content-sharing portal. A Growler squadron from CVW 9 also [recently returned]() to NAS Whidbey Island in Washington State. ![Family and friends welcome home Sailors assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 embarked aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., following 10 months of operations in the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cyrus Roson)]() *Family and friends welcome HSM 71 home. U.S. Navy photo* ![U.S. Sailors chock and chain an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Sept. 28, 2026. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), flagship of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations, demonstrating the U.S. Navy’s long-term commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Hannah Tross)]() *An MH-60R with HSM 71 on USS Abraham Lincoln. U.S. Navy photo* ## Ronald Reagan Moves From Washington State To San Diego The latest carrier to [rejoin the fleet]() after completing an extended maintenance availability, USS *Ronald Reagan*, [pulled into]() San Diego on Monday after [departing]() Bremerton, Washington, on September 30, according to public AIS data. *Reagan* is currently berthed at Kilo Pier on Naval Air Station North Island, a spot now available after USS *Theodore Roosevelt* [vacated it]() on September 27. ![USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) arrives at Naval Air Station North Island, California, Oct. 5, 2026. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is underway conducting routine training in U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Japeth Carter)]() *USS Ronald Reagan arrives at Naval Air Station North Island in California on October 5, 2026. U.S. Navy photo* Imagery [released]() by the Navy showed the flattop underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations on Sunday, October 4. *Reagan* reentered the fleet recently after completing a four-day sea trial and shakedown cruise that capped an [extended]() 17-month Drydocking Planned Incremental Availability. While docked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, she received several upgrades and enhancements, including an Unmanned Air Warfare Center (UAWC) to [command and control]() the MQ-25 [tanker drone](). The MQ-25 will eventually take on the role of refueling carrier-based aircraft, held today by Super Hornets. The new UAWC makes her the second carrier to receive such an upgrade, [following]() USS *Theodore Roosevelt*. The crew aboard *Reagan* has conducted pierside and at-sea testing of the new command center. ![USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) steams in the Pacific Ocean, Oct. 4, 2026. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is underway conducting routine training in U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jaron Wills)]() *USS Ronald Reagan conducts routine ops in the Pacific. U.S. Navy photo* ![U.S. Navy Sailors conduct security operations on the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), while Reagan pulls out of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Washington, Sept. 30, 2026. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is underway conducting routine training in U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexis Bueno)]() *USS Ronald Reagan departs Bremerton. U.S. Navy photo* ## Dwight D. Eisenhower Returns To Homeport After Growler Mishap Following an incident off the east coast that resulted [in the loss]() of an EA-18G Growler electronic attack jet, the USS *Dwight D. Eisenhower* returned to Naval Station Norfolk on October 5 after an eight-day underway. Prior to her return, the Navy told us the following, published in full: "The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS *Dwight D. Eisenhower* (CVN 69) will return to Naval Station Norfolk to allow for a comprehensive assessment of the ship’s aircraft launch and recovery equipment following the Sept. 28 aviation mishap. The decision reflects the Navy’s deliberate approach to flight safety and readiness. While the cause of the mishap remains under investigation, Navy technical experts will conduct a thorough assessment of the affected systems and complete any necessary maintenance before flight operations resume. USS *Dwight D. Eisenhower* remains capable of safely navigating and conducting shipboard operations." ![The transit of carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during a recent underway when a mishap led to the loss of an EA-18G Growler aircraft. Source: MarineTraffic; reprinted with permission]() *USS Dwight D. Eisenhower's recent transit off the east coast. Source: MarineTraffic/KPLER (Reprinted with permission)* Eight Sailors were ultimately [evaluated]() by medical personnel aboard the ship. The mishap was reportedly due to a failure of the arresting gear, which catches and stops the forward momentum of aircraft after landing, and the Growler was lost overboard. Both crew members safely ejected and were rescued by MH-60 Seahawk helicopters. ## Harry S. Truman Moves Dead Stick For Mid-Life Nuclear Refueling Overhaul USS *Harry S. Truman* [left]() Naval Station Norfolk on September 30 and moved "dead stick" into Dry Dock 11 at Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) facility the same day. The carrier will begin the lengthy process of a mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH). ![The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits the Elizabeth River while departing Naval Station Norfolk for Newport News Shipbuilding to begin the shipyard phase of its Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), Sept. 30, 2026. The overhaul will include extensive maintenance and modernization before Truman returns to the fleet for the second half of its planned service life. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Stryker Cole)]() *USS Harry S. Truman transits the Elizabeth River after departing Naval Station Norfolk to begin the shipyard phase of her RCOH. U.S. Navy photo* *Truman* is the eighth *Nimitz* class carrier to conduct an RCOH at NNS, [according]() to HII, which won a $5.1 billion contract to complete the work. The overhaul accounts for about one-third of the maintenance and modernization work that a carrier will undergo over a 50-year service life and involves defueling and refueling her nuclear reactors, in addition to upgrades made to the ship's propulsion plant and combat systems. “Our team has been diligently working to get ahead on this critical engineering and construction project that will prepare USS *Harry S. Truman* for the second half of her service life,” Bryan Caccavale, the NNS vice president of program management, said in a statement. “When the ship arrives at NNS, we’ll apply that same diligence to working with our suppliers and Navy partners to ensure a successful recapitalization of CVN 75,” he added. USS *John C. Stennis* is also currently completing RCOH at NNS, but there has been no announcement of a return to service, as of publication. *Stennis* began the overhaul in 2021, and budget documents point to an October 2026 redelivery date, but it's unclear whether that timeline will hold. ## Newest Ford Class Carrier, John F. Kennedy, Transits To Norfolk After Preliminary Acceptance The Navy [took]() "preliminary acceptance" of the future USS *John F. Kennedy* from NNS on September 29. The nation's newest and second *Ford* class carrier completed [acceptance trials]() in August. “Achieving preliminary acceptance marks a new phase for the ship and her crew, allowing them to get more water under the keel as they test and train underway," the Navy’s Program Manager for Gerald R. Ford-Class New Construction, Capt. Mark Johnson, said. "This milestone is a testament to the shared commitment of our sailors and our combined Navy-industry team, who remain laser-focused on completing the final stages of construction and test with precision and efficiency to deliver combat-ready lethality to the fleet." ![Following successful completion of Acceptance Trials in August, the Navy has taken “preliminary acceptance” of the nation’s next aircraft carrier, the future USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). Source: HII]() *The future USS John F. Kennedy departs Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo: HII-NNS* *Kennedy* is 99% finished, according to the Navy, with formal delivery [planned]() for spring 2027. "All major systems are complete. The shipbuilder is currently completing final ship systems testing, including testing of the remaining four Advanced Weapons Elevators," the release noted. On the same day as the announcement, September 29, the carrier departed the shipyard, and arrived at her new homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, moored at Pier 11N, on October 2. ## Big Deck Fleet At A Glance Overall, four U.S. carriers are deployed (with one returning home this week), three are working up in various states of readiness, three are in maintenance, one is being used primarily for training before deactivation next year, and another will be delivered in 2027. Two amphibious ready groups are deployed, one is forward-deployed, three are working up or in port, and three are in maintenance. *Note: Positions are general approximations.* *Non-deployed LHA/LHD amphibious warships are not shown.* Contact the author: *ian@twz.com or @ianellisjones* ## Author Ian is the Head of Audience Development and Writer at *TWZ*. He executes our full-spectrum social media strategy and brings his interpretive graphics skills to our editorial team as an OSINT analyst and researcher. Ian [joined]() *TWZ* in early 2026 and maintains our weekly [carrier tracker]() and [newsletter](). ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()