After completing a series of trials at sea, the U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) returned to its homeport at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, where it is currently forward-deployed to the Indo-Pacific region. The flagship arrived on Wednesday, June 3, following its departure on May 25 to conduct exercises and training operations.
During this deployment, the USS George Washington operated in the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea. Helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron HSC-12 “Golden Falcons” conducted flight exercises using MH-60S Knight Hawk aircraft. On May 28, the carrier carried out underway replenishment operations with the oiler Badlands Trader, operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC).
Notably, while the carrier was underway, squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5) conducted Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) drills — including, for the first time, F-35 fighter jets — at Iwo To Island. Participating units included VFA-27 “Royal Maces,” VFA-102 “Diamondbacks,” and VFA-195 “Dambusters,” all flying F/A-18E/F Super Hornets; VFA-147 “Argonauts” with F-35C Lightning IIs; VAQ-141 with EA-18G Growlers; and VAW-125 “Tigertails” with E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.
It’s worth recalling that USS George Washington recently underwent a major Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, completed in May 2023. The ship then entered a phase of post-overhaul testing, wrapping up in April 2024. After departing Norfolk, it sailed toward San Diego, transiting through South American waters. From the U.S. West Coast, the carrier headed toward the operational area of the U.S. 7th Fleet, carrying out training activities along the way, before arriving in Japanese waters in november, including Exercise Freedom Edge, which involved Japanese and South Korean armed forces.
The return of USS George Washington (CVN-73) to its forward-deployed home in Japan marks a critical component of the U.S. Navy’s strategic presence in the Asia-Pacific. As Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently stated: “As the security environment surrounding Japan becomes increasingly severe, maintaining a strong U.S. Navy presence through the forward deployment of USS George Washington and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 is essential for Japan’s security and the preservation of regional peace and stability. Japan highly values the role of the U.S. 7th Fleet in achieving these goals.”
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