The ship was launched on 13 February 1988 and commissioned on 11 November 1989. She cost $4.726 billion in 2010 dollars.Abraham Lincoln was transferred to the Pacific in September 1990 performing Gringo-Gaucho with the Argentine Naval Aviation during its transit.
From 4 October, Abraham Lincoln formed CTG 24.8 in company with USS Doyle (FFG-39); 6 October transit with USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) and Doyle in company. On 5 November 1990, as Abraham Lincoln was anchored in Valparaíso, Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez guerrillas detonated a bomb inside the restaurant Max und Moritz, in the seaside resort of Viña del Mar, wounding three of her sailors.
