An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the "Royal Maces" of Strike Fighter Squadron 27 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington during the Carrier Air Wing 5 fly-off. George Washington and its embarked air wing, CVW 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.