USS George Washington Leaves Yokosuka With 3,100 Crew for Sea Trials Ahead of 6-Month Patrol
Updated
Updated · Stars and Stripes · May 11
USS George Washington Leaves Yokosuka With 3,100 Crew for Sea Trials Ahead of 6-Month Patrol
3 articles · Updated · Stars and Stripes · May 11
USS George Washington left Yokosuka around 10 a.m. Sunday with about 3,100 sailors, in a move the city government said likely begins sea trials before its annual deployment.
About a week of trials typically tests high-speed turns, anchoring and defensive systems, after which the carrier usually returns briefly to Yokosuka before sailing again.
Carrier Air Wing 5 is already preparing separately: pilots began 10 days of carrier-landing practice on Iwo Jima on Thursday, with senior aviators required to fly at least six sorties.
7th Fleet carriers usually deploy for about six months with a mid-patrol stop in Yokosuka, and George Washington has completed one deployment since returning to Japan in late 2024.
After a six-year overhaul, can the USS George Washington effectively counter rising threats in the Indo-Pacific?
With US shipyards struggling, will Japan's industry become essential to maintaining America's naval power in Asia?