Following its itinerary within the Southern Seas 2024 deployment, the U.S Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington is preparing to engage in exercises with the Peruvian Navy. The unit, along with its escort group, has recently completed combined exercises in May, known as PASSEX, with the navies of Argentina and Brazil, and more recently with the Chilean Armed Forces after crossing the Strait of Magellan.
As it did when passing through the jurisdictional waters of other countries in the region, the USS George Washington was welcomed by ships and aircraft of the Peruvian Navy upon entering Peruvian waters to begin a series of protocol and exchange activities. A notable event was the visit of the Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte, to the aircraft carrier, where she was received by senior officials of the U.S vessel to tour and learn about its activities and capabilities.
Similar to interactions with other naval forces, it is anticipated that the aircraft carrier, along with the destroyer USS Porter and the logistic ship USNS John Lenthall, will conduct a series of PASSEX exercises with the Peruvian Navy. Among the initial activities observed in photographs released by the U.S Navy are navigation and formations, as well as flights by F-35C aircraft and E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft. Notably, one of the Beechcraft Super King Air aircraft of the Peruvian Naval Aviation was also present.
In a statement on their social media channels, the U.S Navy emphasized that the activities with the Peruvian Navy aim to “…enhance training levels and interoperability. The US Navy and the Peruvian Navy conducted anti-submarine warfare exercises, air defense exercises, and tactical maneuvers as part of the Southern Seas 24 operational deployment.”
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