USS George Washington returns to Japan after nearly a decade away 

The aircraft carrier George Washington is now back in Japan operating as the Navy’s only forward-deployed carrier.

The ship arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base on Friday after operating in South America as part of a Southern Seas deployment to boost maritime partnerships and counter threats in the region. The deployment marked the first for the carrier in nearly a decade.

“A U.S. carrier represents the most advanced maritime capability we have, and it’s the most advanced investment we can make in the security of Japan and of the Western Pacific,” Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander of U.S. 7th Fleet, said in a statement. “The George Washington returns with modernized, cutting-edge technology that represents our investment in deterrence and security in this region.”

The carrier is outfitted with Carrier Air Wing 5, which includes the first F-35C Lightning II squadron to join forward-deployed naval forces in Japan.

Yokosuka previously served as the homeport for the George Washington from 2008 to 2015. The ship kicked off its midlife refueling and complex overhaul maintenance, known as an RCOH, in 2017 in Virginia.

Maintenance originally was slated to wrap up in 2021 under a four-year timeline, but delays postponed it until May 2023.

The GW replaced the carrier Ronald Reagan in Japan so the latter can undergo maintenance work in Bremerton, Washington.