USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Celebes Sea

Sailors, assigned to air department, watch an F-35C Lightning II, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the Celebes Sea, July 13, 2025. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWA CSG) is conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. The George Washington is the U.S. Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ana Souza Young)