USS Nimitz conducts flight ops in South China Sea

An F/A-18F Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 prepares to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the South China Sea, June 5, 2025. The Nimitz 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 Seaman Apprentice Franklyn Guage)