By SCM Online Reporter
THE United States’ pride of the fleet—the nuclear-powered USS Abraham Lincoln—is a “sitting duck” that could be sent to the bottom of the ocean by Iran, a former UN weapons inspector has sensationally claimed.
Scott Ritter, the former Marine Corps intelligence officer, issued the spine-chilling warning as tensions in the Middle East reach a boiling point.
He claims the era of American naval supremacy is over, alleging that the massive supercarriers—once thought invincible—are now nothing more than “floating coffins” in the face of modern missile tech.
‘Total Destruction’
Speaking on the current capabilities of Tehran and its allies, Ritter didn’t mince words.
He suggested that if a full-scale conflict broke out, the US Navy would face a humiliating and deadly defeat before they even got within striking distance.
”We’ll lose our ships before they reach the shore,” Ritter warned. “The carriers are also at risk. The USS Abraham Lincoln could be destroyed by Iran.”
He argues that the sheer density of Iran’s “missile umbrella”—combined with swarm drone tactics—could overwhelm the sophisticated Aegis defense systems that protect American strike groups.
It isn’t just Iran that has the Pentagon looking over its shoulder. Ritter highlighted a “Fatal Four” of nations that he believes now possess the hypersonic or ballistic capabilities to bypass US defenses:
Iran: For its “saturation” tactics and drone swarms.
Russia: For its unstoppable hypersonic “Zircon” missiles.
China: For its “Carrier Killer” DF-21D missiles.
North Korea: For its increasingly sophisticated undersea and ballistic tech.
”North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran have the ability,” Ritter added, suggesting a shift in the global power balance that leaves the West’s traditional “gunboat diplomacy” dead in the water.
Why the Lincoln is in the Crosshairs
The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is currently operating in the Middle East region, deployed by the Pentagon as a “deterrent” against Iranian escalation.
The Vessel: A Nimitz-class supercarrier carrying over 5,000 sailors and up to 90 aircraft. It is a sovereign piece of “American territory” that moves across the sea.
The Threat: Military analysts have long debated the “Anti-Access/Area Denial” (A2/AD) capabilities of Iran.
While the US maintains the Lincoln is well-protected by a screen of destroyers and cruisers, Ritter’s comments tap into a growing fear that modern “cheap” tech (like $20k drones) can defeat “billion-dollar” hardware.
Scott Ritter is a controversial figure; while a highly experienced former UN weapons inspector and intelligence officer, he is known for his deeply skeptical views of Western military intervention and frequently appears on state-affiliated media to critique US foreign policy.
