Sen. Pete Ricketts, right, speaks with Capt. Tim Waits, from Anniston, Alabama, commanding officer of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), in the in-port cabin while moored pier-side on Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, March 18, 2025. George Washington is 7th Fleet’s premiere forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States’ commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside Allies and partners across the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Tyler Crowley)