Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSM) 77 Conducts SCAR-AR Exercise

An MH-60R Seahawk attached to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, embarked on Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), deploys flares during a strike coordination and reconnaissance exercise while operating in the South China Sea, Aug. 12, 2026. George Washington, operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, 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 Communications Specialist Seaman Anthony Vilardi)