260623-N-NE252-1288

An F/A-18 Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, readies for takeoff on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as part of Valiant Shield 2026 while underway in the Philippine Sea, June 23, 2026.

260623-N-NE252-1288.JPG Photo By: Petty Officer 3rd Class Ana Souz

Jun 24, 2026

260623-N-NE252-1288 - PHILIPPINE SEA (June 23, 2026) — An F/A-18 Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, readies for takeoff on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as part of Valiant Shield 2026 while underway in the Philippine Sea, June 23, 2026. Valiant Shield is a biennial, multilateral field training exercise conducted by the U.S. Armed Forces and partner nations in the Western Pacific focusing on joint, cross-combatant integration operating seamlessly across sea, air, land, and cyberspace. Exercises like Valiant Shield allow U.S. Pacific Command the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service and with our allies to conduct precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the Joint Force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ana Souza Young)

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