The San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Guam on Thursday to begin an Indo-Pacific patrol that’s likely to last into next spring. The nuclear-powered flattop left San Diego on Nov. 18 and is traveling with escort ships that include the USS Spruance, a destroyer that also calls San Diego home, the Navy said. The carrier strike group is primarily focused on keeping international sea lanes open and working with American allies, including Japan and Taiwan. A third San Diego-based ship, the cruiser USS Lake Erie, continues to operate near Venezuela as part of a larger group of American warships that are trying to combat drug cartels. Lake Erie left San Diego on July 1 and isn’t scheduled to return until next year. The San Diego amphibious assault ship USS Boxer is currently training off Southern California, preparing for a deployment to the Indo-Pacific next year. ...read more read less