The USS George Washington is aiding in efforts to recover a sunken F/A-18 Super Hornet and MH-60 Sea Hawk after the two aircraft crashed in October.
The United States Navy has beefed up its presence in the Caribbean as President Donald Trump determines whether to carry out combat operations against Venezuela. Among the warships deployed to the region is the nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which is embarked with the Boeing-made F/A-18 Super Hornet multirole fighter.
Halfway around the world, another US Navy carrier, the Nimitz-class USS George Washington (CVN-73), entered the South China Sea via the Luzon Strait last week, likely to help support salvage operations in the contested waters. The US Navy Safeguard-class salvage ship USNS Salvor (T-ARS-52) has begun a search for a Super Hornet and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter—both of which crashed within half an hour of each other in October while operating from USS Nimitz (CVN-68) during that carrier’s final deployment. The Nimitz will soon be on her way to Norfolk, Virginia, to begin the recycling process after approximately five decades in service.
If the United States Didn’t Recover the Aircraft, China Would
It would be hyperbole to suggest that the salvage operation is a race against time. However, it is still serious business—which is why T-ARS-52, operated by Military Sealift Command and leading the recovery efforts, was dispatched to the region and why there is now a nuclear-powered carrier supporting the mission.
The Pentagon will go to great lengths to recover the US Navy aircraft to ensure that China or another adversary nation doesn’t attempt a salvage operation first.
“It is normal for countries to salvage such aircraft to prevent sensitive information from falling into the hands of adversaries (China in this case),” Aerospace Global News reported. The Super Hornet and Sea Hawk are hardly cutting-edge technology in 2025, but the trade publication noted that they could help China “improve its carrier-based J-15T jets as these Chinese-improved Flanker variants are not considered as advanced as the Super Hornet.”
Moreover, China could identify weaknesses in the F/A-18 that could be exploited in combat.
As Aerospace Global News added, even as undersea recovery technology has improved, “salvage operations are not always possible.” Multiple nuclear weapons are now at the bottom of the ocean—hopefully never to be recovered!
The George Washington Is Now on Forward Deployment
USS George Washington is the US Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. The sixth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, and fourth US Navy warship to honor the Founding Father and nation’s first president, arrived in Yokosuka last November 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.
Earlier this summer, CVN-73 participated in the US-Australian-led Talisman Sabre multinational exercises and conducted joint carrier operations with the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Prince of Wales (R09). The two carriers also participated in a multi-large-deck event (MLDE) alongside the US Navy’s amphibious assault ship, USS America (LHA-6), and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) de facto aircraft carrier, JS Kaga (DDH-184).
Operations in the South China Sea are likely to draw the ire of Beijing, which views the vast majority of the waters as its sovereign territory. However, the US Navy isn’t likely to cut and run during more routine operations, and it certainly won’t back down as long as the salvage mission continues.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / viper-zero.
