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By Micah McCartneyShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNew satellite imagery traces the movements of the U.S. nuclear-powered supercarrier George Washington and its strike group in the disputed South China Sea.
Why It Matters
Operating out of Yokosuka, Japan, the USS George Washington is the United States’ only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. Its presence in the South China Sea marks a significant demonstration of U.S. naval power at a time of heightened tensions in the region.
Beijing claims nearly the trade-heavy waterway, bringing it into conflict with several neighbors, including the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally. The contested waters are a frequent flashpoint for military and coast guard encounters.
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for comment.
...What To Know
An open-source intelligence account on X flagged the position of the George Washington. It was taken Thursday by a European Space Agency satellite and shows the carrier strike group in waters west of the Philippines’ westernmost province of Palawan.
The warship could not be tracked by civilian maritime platforms, as it has had its automatic identification system (AIS) broadcasters switched off for more than 50 days, according to open-source ship-tracking data.
The South China Sea Probing Initiative, a Beijing-based state-affiliated think tank, noted that the flattop appeared to be heading toward the location where the USS Nimitz, another carrier operating in the area, was conducting recovery operations.
A U.S. helicopter and a fighter jet crashed in the contested waters within an hour of one another during routine operations from the USS Nimitz, the Pacific Fleet said. Former President Donald Trump later said that "bad fuel" was believed to be the cause of the incidents.
A U.S. helicopter and a fighter jet crashed within an hour of one another during routine operations from the Nimitz.
The George Washington's deployment comes just a week after Trump addressed troops on the vessel during his visit to Japan. The Nimitz had recently completed a joint military exercise with Japanese and Philippine forces, as the three countries continue to step up security ties with an eye toward China’s expanding presence in the region.
This week, China’s newly commissioned third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, was captured in a rare satellite photo off China’s southernmost province of Hainan, now a major naval hub for Beijing’s expanding fleet.
What People Are Saying
The South China Sea Probing Initiative, on X: “The USS George Washington has just entered the South China Sea as the USS Nimitz exited. The George Washington proceeded directly to the site of the Nimitz carrier-based aircraft accident, apparently to relieve the Nimitz carrier strike group and provide support for the salvage operation.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the George Washington will continue operations in the vicinity of the Philippines or reposition elsewhere in the region.
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