The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) is expected to arrive tomorrow at its new homeport in Yokosuka, Japan, where it will replace the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) as the flagship of the Forward-Deployed Naval Force-Japan (FDNF-J). However, this is not the first time the vessel has operated from Japanese ports, as it previously held the same role from 2008 until its replacement in 2015.
This Tuesday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the carrier’s arrival: “As the security environment in the region surrounding Japan becomes increasingly severe, maintaining a strong U.S. Navy presence through the forward deployment of the USS George Washington and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 is essential for Japan’s security and the maintenance of regional peace and stability. Japan highly values the role played by the U.S. Seventh Fleet in achieving these goals.”
It is worth noting that the USS George Washington recently underwent a major Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding, a process completed in May of last year. According to USNI News, the overhaul was significantly delayed by two years beyond the original four-year schedule due to the need for unexpected turbine repairs and various challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Once these works were completed, the carrier entered a testing phase that concluded in April of this year, enabling it to depart Norfolk en route to San Diego, with a transit through South American waters. From the West Coast, the USS George Washington headed toward the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s operational area, conducting various training activities en route to Japan. Notable among these was the recent Freedom Edge exercise, which also involved elements of the Japanese and South Korean armed forces.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that the carrier’s arrival coincides with the U.S. Department of Defense’s announcement of the Maritime Security Consortium (MARSEC), a public-private partnership. This initiative will impact deployed forces in the region, including the CVN-73. MARSEC is expected to increase investments in technological solutions to protect U.S. and allied commercial interests in Asia, as well as expand demonstrations and exercises, such as the BALIKATAN drills conducted with the Philippines.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
You may also like: The U.S. Navy is expected to test the new hypersonic missile launch system of the modernized USS Zumwalt destroyer in 2027
