How US Navy conditions compare to China's

The USS Abraham Lincoln is facing fresh scrutiny over living conditions aboard U.S. Navy ships as it heads to replace crews on the USS George Washington, which is bound for the Middle East and has no U.S. carrier currently deployed in Asia to deter China. Lawmakers have demanded answers after family accounts and text messages reportedly described plumbing problems, lower morale, unreliable water supplies and food shortages. The Lincoln has spent more than 200 days at sea without a port call and was scheduled to return to San Diego in May, but was redirected to the Middle East on Feb. 28 and multiple times extended. Mold and dirty pipes are shown in emerging footage; the Navy says it is investigating. Separate incidents included a power loss aboard USS Benfold in the South China Sea and reported shortages of supplies aboard USS Boxer. The wider context is delays in shipyard construction, rising costs, and conflict tempo tied to Iran.