USS George Washington conducts flight ops in Celebes Sea

Capt. Brian Kesselring, commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, takes off from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) in an F/A-18F Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, while underway in the Celebes Sea, Nov. 29, 2025. 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 Geoffrey L. Ottinger)