In July 2002, the squadron left NAS Lemoore for a regularly scheduled six-month deployment aboard "Abraham Lincoln", seeing action over Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom as well as over Iraq, in support of Operation Southern Watch. In late 2002, as the United States moved closer to military action against Iraq, "Abraham Lincoln" was ordered to stay on station in the Persian Gulf. After a total of three extensions and approaching the ship's tenth month away from home, the Iraq War began.