MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

USS George Washington arrives in Rio de Janeiro

The ship launched in 1990 carries F/A-18F Super Hornet and F-35C Lightning II aircraft, among others

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) arrived this week in Rio de Janeiro as a part of her Southern Seas 2024 campaign.

The Nimitz class vessel is to engage in joint maneuvers with the Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and the US Coast Guard cutter James (WMSL 754) together with Brazil's Niteroi and União frigates. Later this month, the unit is due further south for drills with Uruguayan and Argentine units.

Over 20 officers from nations under the US Southern Commans's area of influence (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago) have joined the George Washington in this year's deployment.

At the same time, US Southern Command Chief General Laura Richardson is in the South American country to oversee the maneuvers. Among other activities, she is due to participate in an event in Sao Paulo about women in peace, defense, and security missions.

The vessel's presence coincides with the 200th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Brazil and the United States.

Aboard the George Washington are state-of-the-art aircraft such as the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets and the 5th generation Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II stealth fighters. The latter are making their first appearance in the region, according to military experts.

The USS George Washington is 333 meters long and is powered by two nuclear reactors, diesel engines, and steam turbines with a capacity for a crew of 6,000 and 90 aircraft between airplanes and helicopters. She was last deployed to Brazil in 2015.

She is not expected to dock in Argentina, where no port has enough draft to welcome her. Instead, the colossal unit will remain within the so-called Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

President Javier Milei and Ministers Luis Petri (Defense) and Patricia Bullrich (Security) are expected to attend a crew-welcoming ceremony at the Puerto Belgrano Naval Base. The military exercise is also believed to be of unusual significance following Argentina's application to become a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) global partner.