USS George Washington conducts flight ops in South China Sea

Sailors conduct flight operations on the flight deck aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while underway in the South China Sea, July 23, 2026. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. George Washington is the U.S. Navy’s premiere forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Juan Cordova)