The USS George Washington aircraft carrier is docked at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka on March 30, 2026 in Yokosuka, Japan. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)

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The United States Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, the nuclear-powered USS George Washington (CVN-73), departed from her homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, for a post-maintenance underway over the weekend, Japanese media reported. The sixth Nimitz-class flattop completed her last deployment in December 2025 and underwent maintenance following her return to Yokosuka, the home of the United States 7th Fleet.

The departure of the supercarrier from the port was not announced, but as Stars and Stripes explained, the U.S. Navy “rarely discusses ship movements publicly, but it regularly notifies the Japanese government when a nuclear-powered ship — aircraft carriers or submarines — arrive or depart Yokosuka city.”

The supercarrier may be undergoing sea trials, which could last for about a week, in advance of her next deployment. That could begin later this summer.

However, isn’t just the crew of USS George Washington that is now preparing for the next mission. 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, with the training continuing through May 17.

“U.S. aircraft carrier landing practice is essential training for aircraft carrier pilots to obtain carrier landing qualifications, requiring them to land on runways at land-based airfields, simulating the deck of an aircraft carrier. This training is of great importance for strengthening Japan's defense and the U.S. deterrence and response capabilities in the region,” the Japan Ministry of Defense announced.

The FCLP is required flight training and precedes the Carrier Qualification that certifies U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps aviators for an underway on a carrier. The training will be conducted by all of CVW-5’s fixed-wing aircraft, including the F-35C Lighting II and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet multirole fighters, the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, and the E-2D Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.

The Japanese ministry also announced that if weather or “unforeseen circumstances” present issues at Iwo Jima, training can be conducted at one of four other airfields in Japan, including Misawa Air Base, Yokota Air Base, Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

The United States Navy hasn’t confirmed when USS George Washington’s next deployment could begin, but forward-deployed carriers tend to head to sea more often, and have a higher tempo than U.S.-based flattops.

“Deployments for 7th Fleet aircraft carriers have lasted about six months, typically with a brief return to Yokosuka halfway through,” Stars and Stripes explained.

What Does Forward Deployed Mean?

Forward-deployed U.S. Navy forces include ships, aircraft, and personnel permanently stationed at foreign overseas bases. The strategy is meant to enable a faster response to regional threats while fostering a strong partnership with allies.

Following the end of the Second World War, the United States Navy established a presence at Yokosuka, which maintained ships of the U.S. Fleet in the Pacific.

The importance of the base at Yokosuka became evident during the Korean War in 1950, and even after Japan’s formal occupation ended, the facility has remained an essential overseas base.

In the 1970s, USS Midway (CV-41) became the first forward-deployed aircraft carrier, following an accord reached between Tokyo and Washington in August 1972.

It was nearly 20 years ago that CVN-73 also replaced USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), becoming the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to serve in the role. USS George Washington remained the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed carrier until 2014, when she was relieved by USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). That allowed CVN-73 to return to Naval Station Norfolk for her complex midlife refueling and also because U.S. law limits a warship's forward deployment to no more than a decade.

CVN-73 Back In Action

The fourth U.S. Navy warship to honor the Founding Father and the nation's first president of the United States arrived in Yokosuka in November 2024 after sailing from Norfolk, Virginia. The crew spent much of the first half of the year settling into its new homeport and completing preparations for future patrols.

However, CVN-73 almost didn’t return to Japan.

After USS George Washington departed Yokosuka in late 2014, there were serious discussions in the Pentagon that called for taking the carrier out of service due to budget reductions. The nuclear-powered carrier was due for her mid-life refueling and complex overhaul, an expensive and time-consuming process intended to double the service life of each Nimitz-class supercarrier.

However, the eventual decision was made to keep the warship in service and to complete the RCOH.

Still, few could have expected the ordeal that was to come.

The RCOH process typically takes around three years, but USS George Washington underwent a brutally long repair period that lasted more than 2,100 days or nearly six years.

According to HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding, the ship’s original manufacturer and the contractor that handled the RCOH, budgetary constraints, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and labor issues all contributed to the carrier's lengthy overhaul. Unfortunately for the crew, it meant living and working on what was essentially a construction site for several years. It took a very heavy toll on the crew, with nine sailors tragically dying by suicide during the process.

Despite the issues, USS George Washington is arguably better than she was when she was first commissioned on July 4, 1992.

During the RCOH, Newport News shipbuilders replaced thousands of valves, pumps, and piping components, while on the outside, they performed major structural updates to the island, mast, and antenna tower. Upgrades have been made to all aircraft launch and recovery equipment, while the carrier's hull, including sea chests and freeboard, has been painted. The team restored the propeller shafts and installed refurbished propellers and rudders. In addition, emphasis was also put on improving the ship’s living areas, including crew living spaces, galleys, and mess decks. The entire process involved more than 25 million man-hours.

CVN-73 and CVN-76 conducted a “hull swap” in San Diego over the summer of 2024, and the USS George Washington subsequently returned to Japan.

The now forward-deployed carrier has completed one deployment since she returned to Japan. That began on June 10, 2025, with the supercarrier returning to Yokosuka on August 30, before resuming its patrol a month later on September 30. However, the time at sea was brief, and USS George Washington returned again to host a meeting between President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. CVN-73’s patrol resumed again, finally concluding on December 11, 2025.

Since January, when the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was dispatched to the Arabian Sea, the U.S. Navy has maintained no aircraft carrier presence in the western Pacific.