USS Abraham Lincoln Comes Home With Its Island Superstructure Covered In Kill Marks

By Howard Altman , Ian Ellis-Jones

Published Oct 8, 2026 4:49 PM EDT

(Pentagon screencap)

Standing on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln , Secretary Pete Hegseth looked up at the flattop’s superstructure and got a good indication of many of the targets the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) destroyed during its six-month fight with Iran . In a photograph shared by the Pentagon’s image distribution site, Hegseth is seen examining a wall of so-called kill marks stenciled onto the superstructure.

By our count from the image and a video taken during Hegseth’s visit, both of which you can see below, there are 103 one-way attack (OWA) drone kill marks and 34 ship kill marks. These represent the number of each the CSG took out. It is unclear whether there are other kill marks we can’t see.

Though they resemble Shahed-136s, which are the most notorious of Iranian OWA drones, these silhouettes would represent all types shot down, and Iran has many. The same holds true for the ships. The photograph shows stencils of frigates or corvettes but these would be a generic symbol for surface craft kills.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visits U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) near San Diego, Calif., Oct. 7, 2026. (DoW photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech) Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech

To the sailors of the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN— WELCOME HOME🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AoQymN2yfZ — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 7, 2026

To the sailors of the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN— WELCOME HOME🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AoQymN2yfZ

On board to welcome the ship and its crew as it headed back to its home port of San Diego after a tumultuous and historic deployment, Hegseth extolled the strike group’s accomplishments. Reading from the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the strike group for its work during Epic Fury, Hegseth noted that it shot down 77 one-way unmanned attack drones and sank 64 Iranian vessels between the start of Epic Fury on Feb. 28 until it departed the region on Aug. 22.

The Lincoln CSG also conducted 3,693 combat sorties, delivered 1.37 million pounds of ordnance, launched 450 Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAMs), destroyed 21 anti-ship cruise missiles and defended against four fast-attack craft and explosive-carrying wooden sailing vessels.

Defense Secretary @PeteHegseth awards Presidential Unit Citation to USS Abraham Lincoln pic.twitter.com/DbS5YYu9oB — CSPAN (@cspan) October 7, 2026

Defense Secretary @PeteHegseth awards Presidential Unit Citation to USS Abraham Lincoln pic.twitter.com/DbS5YYu9oB

It is unclear at the moment why there are at least 26 more drone kill marks stenciled onto the Lincoln than the number of drones shot down listed in the unit citation and why there are 30 fewer ship kill marks than the tally noted in the citation. The Pentagon referred us to the Navy, and we are waiting for a response from the service.

There is a long tradition of kill marks being stenciled onto aircraft , vessels and other military equipment indicating the destruction of enemy equipment.

Kill marks on aircraft embarked aboard Lincoln indicate that the carrier strike group also destroyed several Iranian submarines and other weapons. These were not listed in the unit citation or in any kill marks stenciled onto the Lincoln that we could see.

An image provided to TWZ by aviation photographer Jeff Rojas, who goes by the handle @jro_photography on Instagram, shows a submarine kill mark on one of the F/A-18F Super Hornets of the U.S. Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41), the “Black Aces.” That is one of the aviation squadrons embarked on the Lincoln during Epic Fury.

A close-up look at the broken submarine and other kill marks on one of VFA-41’s Super Hornets. ( Jeff Rojas ) Jeffrey Rojas

Iranian naval vessels, including the country’s Russian-made Kilo class and other submarines , were top-priority targets during Epic Fury. The U.S. military has previously confirmed that air-launched AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided missiles (likely fired from MQ-9 Reaper drones ) and ground-launched Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) short-range ballistic missiles were employed against submarines, specifically.

In total, VFA-41 alone launched 421 missiles and bombs during its time supporting Operation Epic Fury. You can find the details in our story about the squadron here .

In addition, an image published by The Aviationist showed “an extraordinary array of target markings on a VMFA-314 F-35C, apparently representing an oil tanker, three submarines, a surface combatant, a Shahed-type drone, an artillery piece, and several ground-based launchers.”

Marine F-35C Also Sports Three Submarine Kill Markings After Operation Epic Fury An exclusive image obtained by The Aviationist reveals an extraordinary array of target markings on a VMFA-314 F-35C, apparently representing an oil tanker, three submarines, a surface combatant, a… — The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) October 5, 2026

Marine F-35C Also Sports Three Submarine Kill Markings After Operation Epic Fury An exclusive image obtained by The Aviationist reveals an extraordinary array of target markings on a VMFA-314 F-35C, apparently representing an oil tanker, three submarines, a surface combatant, a…

It should also be noted that some of the drone kill marks seen on the Lincoln could have been the result of shootdowns by the carrier’s escorts. The Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers USS Frank E. Petersen J r, USS Spruance and USS Michael Murphy all serve as critical air defense platforms for the carrier strike group. Those vessels were also the ones launching the TLAMs, as well as potential submarine involvement.

Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr . (DDG 121) transits the Arabian Sea, June 27, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo) U.S. Central Command Public Affa

Late Thursday morning local time, Lincoln finally returned home. The carrier departed San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, and an arrival closed out a total deployment of 321 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.

USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego https://t.co/0eEnTqJZdU — Reuters (@Reuters) October 8, 2026

USS Abraham Lincoln returns to San Diego https://t.co/0eEnTqJZdU

In addition to racking up successes against Iran, 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 .

The kill mark stencils weren’t the only symbols of Lincoln’s deployment. On Wednesday, Hegseth used symbology to push back against concerns raised about the long journey.

“There were a few folks in the media who tried to turn the USS Abraham Lincoln into some sort of a symbol,” Hegseth said . “A symbol of dysfunction, or a symbol of low morale, or a symbol of a failed mission. And what I look out right here or when I talk to your leadership, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to a number of you, I know it’s the exact opposite.”

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

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作者：霍华德·奥特曼、伊恩·埃利斯-琼斯

发布于美国东部时间2026年10月8日下午4:49

（五角大楼截图）

站在“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰的甲板上，国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯抬头望向舰体上层建筑，清晰地看到了“林肯”号航母打击群在与伊朗长达六个月的战斗中摧毁的众多目标。在五角大楼图片发布网站分享的一张照片中，赫格塞斯正在查看上层建筑上喷涂的一排所谓的“击杀标记”。

根据我们从图片和赫格塞斯访问期间拍摄的视频（均见下方）中统计，共有103个单向攻击（OWA）无人机击落标记和34个舰船击落标记。这些数字代表了航母打击群（CSG）击落的无人机和舰船数量。目前尚不清楚是否还有其他我们无法看到的击落标记。

虽然这些轮廓与伊朗最臭名昭著的OWA无人机“沙赫德-136”相似，但它们代表的是所有被击落的无人机类型，而伊朗拥有多种类型的无人机。舰船的情况也是如此。照片中显示的是护卫舰或轻型护卫舰的图案，但这只是击落水面舰艇的通用符号。

2026年10月7日，美国战争部长皮特·赫格塞斯访问了位于加利福尼亚州圣地亚哥附近的“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰（CVN-72）上的美国海军水兵。（美国空军参谋军士马德琳·基奇摄，美国战争部供图）

致“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰的水兵们——欢迎回家🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AoQymN2yfZ — 美国战争部长皮特·赫格塞斯 (@SecWar) 2026年10月7日

致“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰上的水兵们——欢迎回家🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/AoQymN2yfZ

在经历了一次动荡而又具有历史意义的部署后，这艘军舰及其船员即将返回母港圣地亚哥。赫格塞斯登舰迎接，并盛赞了打击群的战绩。他宣读了授予该打击群的总统集体嘉奖令，表彰其在“史诗狂怒”行动中的出色表现。赫格塞斯指出，从2月28日“史诗狂怒”行动开始到8月22日离开该地区，该打击群共击落77架单向无人攻击无人机，击沉64艘伊朗舰艇。

林肯号航母战斗群还执行了 3,693 次战斗飞行任务，投掷了 137 万磅弹药，发射了 450 枚战斧陆攻巡航导弹（TLAM），摧毁了 21 枚反舰巡航导弹，并防御了 4 艘快速攻击艇和载有炸药的木制帆船。

国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯 (@PeteHegseth) 向“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰颁发总统集体嘉奖令 pic.twitter.com/DbS5YYu9oB — CSPAN (@cspan) 2026年10月7日

国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯向“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰颁发总统集体嘉奖令 pic.twitter.com/DbS5YYu9oB

目前尚不清楚为何林肯号航母上喷涂的无人机击落标记比部队嘉奖令中列出的击落无人机数量至少多出26个，以及舰艇击落标记比嘉奖令中记录的数量少出30个。五角大楼已将我们的询问转至海军，我们正在等待海军的回复。

在飞机、舰船和其他军事装备上喷涂击杀标记，以表明摧毁敌方装备，这已是一项悠久的传统。

林肯号航母舰载机上的击落标记表明，该航母打击群还摧毁了数艘伊朗潜艇和其他武器。这些战果并未列入部队嘉奖令中，也未出现在我们所能看到的林肯号航母上的任何击落标记中。

TWZ 获得了一张由航空摄影师 Jeff Rojas（Instagram 账号为 @jro_photography）提供的照片，照片显示美国海军第 41 战斗攻击机中队（VFA-41，绰号“黑桃A”）的一架 F/A-18F 超级大黄蜂战斗机上有一个潜艇击落标记。该中队是“史诗狂怒”演习期间部署在林肯号航空母舰上的航空中队之一。

近距离观察VFA-41中队一架超级大黄蜂战斗机上被击毁的潜艇和其他击落痕迹。（杰夫·罗哈斯摄）杰弗里·罗哈斯

在“史诗狂怒”演习中，伊朗海军舰艇，包括该国俄制基洛级潜艇和其他潜艇，都是首要攻击目标。美国军方此前已证实，他们使用了空射AGM-114“地狱火”激光制导导弹（很可能由MQ-9“死神”无人机发射）和陆基陆军战术导弹系统（ATACMS）短程弹道导弹，专门针对潜艇发动攻击。

在“史诗狂怒行动”期间，仅VFA-41中队就共发射了421枚导弹和炸弹。您可以在我们关于该中队的报道中找到详细信息（点击此处）。

此外，《航空主义者》杂志发布的一张图片显示，“VMFA-314 中队的一架 F-35C 战斗机上涂有一系列非同寻常的目标标记，显然代表着一艘油轮、三艘潜艇、一艘水面作战舰艇、一架 Shahed 型无人机、一门火炮和几个地面发射器。”

在“史诗狂怒行动”后，一架海军陆战队F-35C战机也涂有三艘潜艇的击落标记。航空专家网站（The Aviationist）独家获得的图片显示，一架VMFA-314中队的F-35C战机上涂有种类繁多的目标标记，似乎分别代表一艘油轮、三艘潜艇、一艘水面作战舰艇…… — The Aviationist (@TheAviationist) 2026年10月5日

在“史诗狂怒行动”后，海军陆战队F-35C战机也出现了三个击沉潜艇的标记。航空专家网站（The Aviationist）独家获得的一张照片显示，VMFA-314中队的一架F-35C战机上布满了种类繁多的目标标记，似乎分别代表一艘油轮、三艘潜艇、一艘水面作战舰艇……

还应注意的是，林肯号航母上发现的一些无人机击落痕迹也可能是航母护航舰艇击落造成的。阿利·伯克级导弹驱逐舰“弗兰克·E·彼得森”号、“斯普鲁恩斯”号和“迈克尔·墨菲”号都是航母打击群重要的防空平台。这些舰艇也正是发射TLAM导弹的舰艇，潜艇也可能参与了此次行动。

2026年6月27日，阿利·伯克级导弹驱逐舰“弗兰克·E·彼得森”号（DDG 121）航行于阿拉伯海。（美国海军照片）美国中央司令部公​​共事务

当地时间周四上午晚些时候，“林肯”号航母终于返回母港。这艘航母于2025年11月21日离开圣地亚哥，此次返航标志着其总共321天的部署任务圆满结束（据我们统计）。这比“杰拉尔德·R·福特”号航母5月份创下的326天纪录略短，是现代航母时代第二长的部署记录。

“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰返回圣地亚哥 https://t.co/0eEnTqJZdU — 路透社 (@Reuters) 2026年10月8日

“亚伯拉罕·林肯”号航空母舰返回圣地亚哥 https://t.co/0eEnTqJZdU

除了在对伊朗的战斗中屡创佳绩外，此次马拉松式部署也引发了人们对水兵和海军陆战队员在舰上所经历的艰苦条件的关注。正如TWZ当时报道的那样，8月份，舰员家属描述了物资短缺和生活条件恶劣的情况。这些报道引发了媒体的广泛关注，代理海军部长曹洪称这些报道不实，但也承认“少数心理健康问题得到了治疗，没有造成人员伤亡；在新鲜物资无法补充的情况下调整了膳食计划，没有出现任何漏餐；在作战威胁过高时限制了与家人的通话。”曹洪在写给参议员克尔斯滕·吉利布兰德的一封信中写道，至少有8名来自打击群的人员在巡航期间试图自杀，这封信已被CNN获得。

林肯号部署的标志并非只有击杀标记模板。周三，赫格塞斯利用象征手法反驳了人们对长途飞行的担忧。

“媒体中有些人试图把‘亚伯拉罕·林肯’号航空母舰塑造成某种象征，”赫格塞斯说。“象征着失灵、士气低落或任务失败。但我在这里看到的，或者当我与你们的领导交谈时——我还没有机会和你们中的一些人交谈——我知道情况恰恰相反。”

联系作者：howard@twz.com

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