The US Navy’s forward-deployed Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) has successfully completed its sea trials.
Quartermaster 1st Class Pon Mingkhouan, from Raleigh, North Carolina, said that sea trials are an essential part of preparation.
"Sea trials not only allow us to test our equipment, but also give new sailors a taste of what the work days will be like during patrol," Mingkhouan said.
Carried out over a period of four days, sea trials involve the assessment and validation of equipment status and personnel readiness for follow-on at-sea training.
During the trials, George Washington completed several advancements, including a replenishment-at-sea, refuelling-at-sea, man-overboard drills, anchor-drop test, high-powered turns and aqueous film-forming foam countermeasure wash down, in addition to other events.
The vessel, together with its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5, is claimed to offer a combat-ready force that shields and secures the collective maritime interest of the US and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia Pacific region.
George Washington has reportedly started its patrolling mission in the western Pacific Ocean, which is likely to be its last as a Japanese carrier.
As part of the mission, about 5,500 sailors, marines and other personnel have departed Yokosuka from Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, according to Stars and Stripes.
The 317m-long Nimitz-class vessel, which can accommodate over 6,000 personnel and has a maximum cruise speed of more than 30k, is armed with Raytheon GMLS Mk29 eight-cell launchers for Nato Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles.
Furthermore, the ship has a Raytheon AN/SLQ-32(V) electronic warfare system, 20mm Phalanx six-barrelled Mk15 close-in weapon system and Sippican super-rapid bloom off-board chaff (SRBOC) six-barrelled Mk36 decoy launchers.
Image: The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). Photo: courtesy of Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brian H. Abel.
