Why a direct hit from an Iranian missile cannot sink the USS Abraham Lincoln

The USS Abraham Lincoln travels with a Carrier Strike Group featuring guided-missile cruisers and destroyers. These escort ships use the Aegis Combat System to track and intercept incoming ballistic missiles long before they can reach the carrier.

The aircraft carrier is powered by two nuclear reactors, allowing it to move at speeds exceeding 30 knots. Hitting a target moving this fast requires real-time satellite tracking, making long-range ballistic missile strikes highly difficult for the enemy.

If a missile breaches the escort ships, the carrier relies on its own active air defence systems. It fires Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and the upgraded Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) to intercept and destroy incoming sea-skimming or ballistic threats from 14.5 up to 50 kilometres away.

The final active defence layer is the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. These radar-guided cannons fire at a blistering rate of 4,500 rounds per minute, creating a dense wall of tungsten armor-piercing bullets to shred missiles just seconds before impact.

The carrier uses the AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite to detect hostile radar emissions. It actively jams the guidance systems of incoming missiles and uses decoy launchers to release chaff and flares, misdirecting radar and infrared sensors.

In the rare event of a direct hit, the physical structure of the ship ensures survival. The carrier features a high-tensile steel double hull and uses 64 mm of Kevlar armour over vital spaces to absorb blast impacts.

The 100,000-ton warship is built with extensive compartmentalisation to prevent sinking. The hull is divided into thousands of watertight compartments, while the hangar decks feature thick steel fire doors to contain blasts and stop flooding.