CENTCOM: Arrival of the aircraft carrier 'George Washington' to the operations area in the Middle East

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced yesterday that the aircraft carrier USS George Washington arrived in the Middle East operations area as part of a scheduled mission.

The USS George Washington is replacing the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent nearly nine months on a deployment mission, amid growing concerns about conditions aboard the ship, according to a U.S. official who spoke with CBS News.

The arrival of the USS George Washington comes amid rapid security developments in the region and an enhancement of the U.S. naval presence in the Middle East.