The USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its crew of about 5,000 sailors will deploy to the Middle East in the coming weeks for what is expected to be at least a seven-month mission.

Axar.az reports, citing CNN, that Navy Master Chief Petty Officer John Perryman said the crew is being advised to prepare for an eight-month deployment.

The Roosevelt is expected to replace the USS George Washington, which recently relieved the USS Abraham Lincoln after its more than 250-day deployment in the region. The prolonged deployment raised concerns over sailors’ mental health and supplies aboard the carrier.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle acknowledged the strain the Iran war has placed on the US fleet, saying the Navy would seek greater certainty over deployment periods but that combat requirements could force extensions.

“I would prefer, you know, seven-month deployments. I typically am not a big fan of extensions, and I push back hard on that. But the enemy gets a vote,” Caudle said.