The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) will deploy to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations in the coming months as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Operation Southern Seas 2024.
The George Washington, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78), and the Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment tanker USNS John Lenthall (T-AO-189) are scheduled to conduct walk-through exercises and operations at sea with partner nations’ maritime forces as the ships circumnavigate the South American continent. Southern Seas 2024 will feature exchanges of experts and provide visitors from partner nations with the opportunity to see the aircraft carriers’ operations up close. Engagements are planned with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, with visits to ports planned for Brazil, Chile and Peru.
“Southern Seas 2024 will provide the opportunity to improve interoperability and increase proficiency with partner nations’ maritime forces,” said Rear Admiral Jim Aiken, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. “Deployments like Southern Seas strengthen maritime partnerships and build trust with our partners in the region.”
New for Southern Seas 2024, an international embarked team of approximately two dozen officers from 11 partner nations will serve aboard USS George Washington. This team will receive instruction from professors at the U.S. Naval War College and will work together with embarked personnel from Destroyer Squadron 40 to conduct detailed operational planning in support of operations at sea. Countries planning to participate in this international embarked team include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the USA.
Southern Seas 2024 marks the 10th mission to the region since 2007 and the third time involving the USS George Washington. The aircraft carrier also carried out Southern Seas 2008 and Southern Seas 2015. As with previous missions, Southern Seas 2024 will promote goodwill, strengthen maritime partnerships, counter threats and build our team.
The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is one of the centerpieces of U.S. naval forces – the most adaptable and survivable airfields in the world. On any given day, the sailors aboard an aircraft carrier and its air wing go into combat trained and equipped for a wide range of missions. They are ready to control the sea, carry out attacks and maneuver in the electromagnetic spectrum and cyberspace. No other naval force has such a range and depth of combat capabilities.
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