A U.S. Navy Supercarrier Is Now Operating In The Indo-Pacific

BusinessAerospace & DefenseA U.S. Navy Supercarrier Is Now Operating In The Indo-PacificByPeter Suciu,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Suciu covers trends in the world of aerospace and defense.Follow AuthorMay 23, 2026, 11:52am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.The USS George Washington is the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. She is now operating in the Indo-Pacific (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images).Getty ImagesA week after the United States Navy’s largest supercarrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), finally returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., ending a record-long deployment, another aircraft carrier may have begun her 2026 Indo-Pacific patrol. Halfway around the world from Norfolk, the sixth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) departed from her homeport of Yokosuka, Japan.Ship spotters on social media shared images of the warship in Tokyo Bay on Saturday afternoon local time. According to Stars and Stripes, the Nimitz-class flattop headed out to sea with little fanfare, although families of the crew gathered along the base’s shoreline to “wave goodbye to their loved ones.”The ship has been preparing for its next deployment for several weeks.CVN-73 was underway earlier this month, following a post-deployment maintenance period. Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW-5), which is typically embarked on CVN-73, began 10 days of field carrier landing practice drills on Iwo Jima earlier this month, with the training concluded on May 17.Projection Of American PowerUSS George Washington is the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a role she resumed in late 2024. The warship completed her first Indo-Pacific patrol following her mid-life refueling last December.MORE FOR YOUForward-deployed U.S. Navy forces include ships, aircraft, and personnel perm...