USS Carl Vinson conducts flight operations with F/A-18E near China


According to information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on December 29, 2021, a F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the “Golden Dragons” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 192, launched off the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the Philippine Sea.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link


Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 F/A-18E Super Hornet and Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (Picture source: U.S. Department of Defense)


The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet.

The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm M61 rotary cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. Additional fuel can be carried in up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding an external air-to-air refueling system.

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is the United States Navy's third Nimitz-class supercarrier. The ship was launched in 1980, undertook her maiden voyage in 1983, and underwent refueling and overhaul between 2005 and 2009.

Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192), also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore.