394421 10: A “Hawkeye” a wide-area surveillance aircraft from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Five lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, September 11, 2001 in the Atlantic Ocean. (Photo Courtesy of the US Navy/Getty Images)
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The USS George Washington (CVN‑73), the U.S. Navy’s sole forward‑deployed aircraft carrier, currently operates in the Arabian Sea, supporting the U.S. Fifth Fleet’s mission of maritime security, deterrence and regional stability.
Based at Yokosuka, Japan, the nuclear‑powered supercarrier embarked on its 2026 patrol in May. After operating in the South China Sea, it was redirected last month to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN‑72).
No other U.S. Navy carrier was available, so CVN‑73 was sent to the region.
Exactly 25 years ago, CVN‑73 was off the Virginia coast conducting routine carrier qualifications. When the terrorist attacks of 9/11 struck New York City and the Pentagon, the carrier’s post‑maintenance training was halted and it was rerouted to New York City under NORAD to defend U.S. airspace.
All other Navy carriers were either deployed, en route, or in upkeep, leaving CVN‑73 as the only available platform.
CVN‑73 Made Quick Transition
Six weeks prior to the attacks, CVN‑73 concluded a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Entering the yard in late 2000, the carrier received upgrades to berthing, ventilation and computer networks. Post‑PIA sea trials were completed in late July, and a deployment was not slated until early 2002.
Training was still underway when orders arrived to head for New York City. The air wing assigned to the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN‑67) was swiftly transferred to CVN‑73 to protect the Big Apple and its environs.
CVN‑73 Was the Post‑9/11 Protector Of New York City
On 11 September 2001, CVN‑73 set sail and arrived off New York City, just three miles from Coney Island Beach, the following morning. While en route, aircraft from Carrier Air Wing‑17 (CVW‑17) and CVW‑7 performed day and night carrier qualifications.
For five days, CVN‑73 acted as a floating command‑and‑control hub, launching 234 sorties and maintaining armed patrols to deter any further attacks. Meanwhile, its medical team organized a “walking blood bank,” collecting donations from sailors and Marines to aid 9/11 victims.
On 17 September, CVN‑73 started offloading aircraft and returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, which already had an enhanced security posture to safeguard the critical East Coast facility.
Nine months later, on 20 June 2002, CVN‑73 deployed to the Persian Gulf, relieving CV‑67 and supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch.
The carrier spent three months in the region before being relieved by CVN‑72. During the deployment, CVN‑73 flew more than 10,000 sorties, enforcing no‑fly zones over Iraq and conducting strike missions in Afghanistan.
A quarter‑century later, CVN‑73 is once again operating in the Middle East, continuing the U.S. Navy’s enduring mission.