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An F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, takes off from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while operating in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 6, 2025. 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 2nd Class Bruce Morgan)