Distinguished visitors from the Republic of Korea (ROK) embarked USS George Washington (CVN 73), Oct. 12, to understand the daily operations of an underway aircraft carrier and witness the strengthening interoperability between the U.S. and ROK navies.
Mr. Seok-hyun Lee, member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, Democratic Party; and Mr. Ki-ho Han, deputy chairman of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, New Frontier Party, were among the 11 ROK guests of the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier.
“It’s important as we look at our 60-year alliance that we continue to bring Republic of Korea civilian and military leaders to see our ships so they can witness first-hand how well we work together,” said Rear Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea.
The tour included a brief in George Washington’s navigation and flag bridges, flight deck control, combat direction center, air operations and the ship’s flight deck.
“Everything we saw today was very exciting,” said Lee. “The size of this aircraft carrier and the amount of people here makes it a floating city. I am impressed with the combat power I witnessed today, and I hope that it will always contribute to the U.S. and ROK navy alliance.”
George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its partners and allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
[mappress] Press Release, October 14, 2013