On August 22, 2025, the US Department of Defense confirmed that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) has been deployed to the Gulf of Alaska to take part in Northern Edge 2025, a large-scale exercise led by US Indo-Pacific Command. The drills bring together more than 6,400 US personnel, around 100 aircraft, and seven naval vessels from the US and Canada.
Commissioned in 1989, the USS Abraham Lincoln was the first Nimitz-class carrier to feature an improved anti-torpedo side protection system. This year’s exercise is notable for being conducted concurrently with Arctic Edge, making it one of the largest integrated training events held in Alaska. The drills are designed to strengthen interoperability across maritime, air, cyber, and land domains, while also rehearsing homeland defense and Indo-Pacific contingency operations.
Serving as the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 3, the USS Abraham Lincoln is accompanied by Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the Canadian Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina, and a CC-150 Polaris tanker. Carrier Air Wing 9, embarked on the ship, operates a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft.
In addition to conventional operations, Northern Edge 2025 is being used to test advanced weapons, including the AIM-174B long-range air-launched missile, derived from the SM-6. Its deployment underlines the Navy’s effort to expand long-range air defense and enhance fleet capabilities in the Pacific theater.
