USS Abraham Lincoln returns to the Middle East – and she's not on her own

The American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, amongst the largest and most powerful warships in the United States Navy, has once again returned to the Middle East – backed by an array of US firepower. 

As tensions between Washington and Tehran escalate, she is being joined by a Carrier Strike Group – comprised of three Arleigh-Burke-class destroyers – each loaded with advanced air defence and Tomahawk land attack missiles that can strike the Iranian regime's infrastructure. 

USS Abraham Lincoln also carries F-35 Lightning II aircraft capable of penetrating Iranian airspace, alongside highly capable F/A-18 Super Hornets for air-to-air refuelling and follow-on strikes, and EA-18G Growlers to jam Iranian air defences.

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Is this a deterrent or the start of something bigger? BFBS Forces News takes a look at the US firepower now deployed in the region in our video above.