Bringing sailors closer to home: How the USS Abraham Lincoln is revolutionizing connectivity at sea

Life aboard an aircraft carrier is demanding. Long deployments, intense missions, and the vast expanse of the open ocean can understandably leave Sailors and Marines feeling isolated. For the more than 5,000+ service members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, staying connected with loved ones was once a luxury. With the support of innovative capabilities, such as Kymeta's cutting-edge satellite communications, this isolation is becoming a thing of the past. 

The Challenge: Staying Connected in a Disconnected World 

For decades, one of the toughest parts of deployment wasn’t only the mission, it was the separation from family and friends. Warfighters had limited access to communication, often relying on slow, unreliable internet that made video calls and personal updates frustratingly difficult. The impact wasn’t just emotional; it affected focus, morale, and overall well-being. 

Beyond personal connections, limited bandwidth also meant operational inefficiencies. Sharing mission-critical data took longer, restricting the ship’s ability to stay agile in high-stakes situations. And with aircraft carriers often operating in some of the most remote regions of the world, ensuring reliable connectivity was an enormous challenge. 

The Solution: Bringing the Digital World to the Open Ocean 

In 2024, the USS Abraham Lincoln became the first naval aircraft carrier to deploy two of Kymeta’s state-of-the-art u8 LEO terminals. These terminals leverage the Eutelsat OneWeb satellite network to deliver high-bandwidth, low-latency internet at sea. 

This provides lightning-fast download speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second and uploads at 200 megabits per second, ensuring seamless communication across the ship. Sailors and Marines can now video chat with their families, take online courses, and even manage their finances, bringing a sense of normalcy to life on deployment. 

Just as important, these satellite terminals are engineered for resilience, providing connectivity even in the most challenging maritime conditions. Unlike traditional satellite systems, which require large, cumbersome dish antennas, Kymeta’s electronically steered flat-panel antennas provide seamless, always-on access to broadband, even in rough seas, or in extreme weather. 

More Than Just Communication: A Social and Mental Health Game-Changer 

Beyond just staying in touch with loved ones, the improved internet access has completely transformed life aboard the ship. Socializing while deployed became easier than ever, with crew members engaging in multiplayer gaming, scrolling through social media, and catching up with friends. This digital lifeline provided a crucial escape from the stresses of deployment and strengthened bonds among the crew. 

Captain Kevin White, then the USS Abraham Lincoln's Combat Systems Officer, described the impact firsthand: "You lose all access to your personal life, and that affects people - they’re concerned about how the issues in their personal lives that they just kind of left behind will be handled. With Sailor Edge Afloat and Ashore, we can maintain the continuity of our personal lives. What we’ve been able to do is transition Navy life to be more like home, and we can see onboard the ship that everybody is happier." 

The Results: A Game-Changer for Morale and Mission Readiness 

The impact of enhanced connectivity was immediate and undeniable: 

• A morale boost like never before, Sailors and Marines no longer felt cut off from the world. They could share in life’s big moments with their families, reducing stress and strengthening mental well-being. 

• Stronger focus and resilience. With better connectivity, Sailors and Marines were more engaged, motivated, and better equipped to handle the demands of their roles. 

• Unparalleled data capability. The ship could now transfer four to eight terabytes of data daily, a fiftyfold increase, making mission operations smoother and more efficient. 

• A more social and connected crew. From online gaming tournaments to social media engagement, crew members could now bond over shared experiences, making downtime more enjoyable and strengthening camaraderie. 

• Global, uninterrupted connectivity. With access to LEO satellite networks, warfighters remained connected even in the most remote locations, ensuring mission readiness without sacrificing personal connections. 

The Future: A New Era of Connectivity at Sea 

The USS Abraham Lincoln’s success is just the beginning. This use case is setting a new standard for how warfighters remain connected, not just to their missions but to the people who matter most. By enabling reliable, high-speed connectivity in some of the most remote waters on the planet, the program ensures that Sailors and Marines stay informed, operationally prepared, and emotionally supported. 

As this technology expands across the fleet, thousands more service members will experience the life-changing benefits of staying connected, ensuring they remain mission-ready, resilient, and never truly out of reach. 

For the Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, the ocean no longer feels quite so vast. Home is now just a click away.