USS George Washington conducts flight operations

An F/A-18 Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron 27, taxis on the flight deck Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) while operating in the South China Sea, Aug. 11, 2026. George Washington, operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, 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, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Williamson)