The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, successfully completed a combat operational efficiency (COE) evaluation, June 5.
The COE certification, often called the “blue-water” certification, allows the ship and air wing team to launch and recover aircraft without the requirement of a divert airfield nearby.
The George Washington and CVW-5 team began their certification process May 28 and were required to meet established criteria of efficiency and safety during aircraft launch and recovery operations for nine consecutive days.
With COE complete, CVW-5 can move on to more complex exercises.
George Washington and CVW-5 are on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. George Washington will conduct a hull-swap with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) later this year after serving seven years as the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Yokosuka, Japan.
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Image: US Navy