Particle.news
Download on the App Store
14 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

AFCENT Launches Multi-Day Air Readiness Drill as Lincoln Carrier Group Enters Region

Officials describe the training as routine with host‑nation coordination.

This photo provided by the US Navy shows sailors preparing a Boeing EA-18G Growler on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on January 21, 2026.
This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors fueling an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Indian Ocean on January 21, 2026.
A F-18 Super Hornet is launched from the deck of the U.S. Navy carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the Foal Eagle exercises off Ulsan, South Korea, 30 March 2006.
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Isaac Baker, 75th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, performs pre-flight checks on an A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 30, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonah Bliss)

Overview

  • The exercise tests rapid movement, dispersed operations from contingency sites, lean logistics, and multinational command-and-control across the CENTCOM theater.
  • AFCENT has not released dates, locations, participating units, or countries, stating the drill is not tied to specific events or adversaries.
  • CENTCOM confirmed the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is now in the Middle East, reinforcing U.S. air and maritime options.
  • U.S. officials have not announced any authorization for strikes on Iran, with sources indicating no decision despite recent presidential warnings.
  • Regional partners, including the United Arab Emirates, say their airspace and territory will not be used to launch or support an attack on Iran.