USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee conducts flight ops in South China Sea

An MH-60S Sea Hawk, from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 takes off from the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee (DDG 123) in the South China Sea, May 30, 2025. The Higbee, assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations on a scheduled deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter K. McHaddad)