USS George Washington sails West Philippine Sea in show of U.S. commitment

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July 3, 2025 | 9:30am

ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON — The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington is conducting patrols in the West Philippine Sea — a show of presence that comes as Beijing steps up its own naval activity in the region.

Speaking to reporters aboard the vessel on Wednesday, July 2, Capt. Timothy Waits, commanding officer of the US warship, said its deployment to this part of the region is a "routine" and "typical" patrol that demonstrates the US' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“We share the values of open and free Indo-Pacific region. That's why we're out here,” Waits said. 

The presence of the US' Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in the South China Sea comes after China, for the first time, sent its two operational aircraft carriers, Fujian and Shandong, to waters near Japan and the Philippine Sea last month. Japan says the move shows the expansion of Beijing’s military activities to distant areas. Both vessels have since returned to port, the People’s Liberation Army Navy said on Monday, June 30.

The timing of the US warship’s projection of power in the tense waterways may appear pointed. But a geopolitical analyst says its patrols in this area track with the US’ broader commitments to the Philippines and are not a form of short-term signaling. 

It is scheduled to make a port visit to Manila this week on an undisclosed date. This will be the carrier's first visit to Manila since resuming its forward deployment in the Pacific last year, with its last port call taking place in 2014.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier can reach speeds exceeding 30 knots and measures just over 1,000 feet in length.

“These kinds of deployments are planned in advance because of the logistical, financial, and diplomatic requirements needed for such an undertaking,” said Julio Amador, CEO of Amador Research Services, a geopolitical consultancy based in Manila. “You don’t deploy that carrier just to do some tit-for-tat.”

“Because of that, I think the Americans are sending the message that we are here, we stand by our ally, and we are not intimidated,” Amador said.

Keeping region's sea lanes free 

Though Waits also stressed the patrol’s routine nature, he noted the US Navy’s stake in keeping sea lanes open — especially in a region where several nations, including the Philippines, rely heavily on maritime trade. 

“We know the importance of this theater for this region,” he said. “It’s a vast region (with) many nations. Most of them are coastline. The importance of the open and free sea lanes, just from a commercial aspect alone, is important to them. It’s important to us.”

The George Washington is accompanied by other vessels from its strike group. Waits declined to detail their actual composition on Wednesday but confirmed that other vessels in their group, the Carrier Strike Group 5, are operating nearby.

Two other US warships form the strike group: Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup.

“I believe this is part of the reassurance that the US wants to send to the Philippines, that as an ally, it has presence in our waters,” Amador said, “This should be seen as part of the whole alliance package in light of the close defense and diplomatic relations that both currently have.”

Return to the region. The George Washington last year returned to port in Japan after undergoing nearly nine years of refit. It replaced the USS Ronald Reagan as the forward-deployed US carrier in the Pacific.

The aircraft carrier left its homeport on June 10 and, according to the US Navy, is currently on patrol in the Seventh Fleet's operating area, covering the western Pacific and Indian Oceans.