020806-N-6747H-001 At sea aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) Aug. 6, 2002 -- Airman Victor Fernandez, a native of Puerto Rico, attaches a launch bar to the catapult “shuttle” for an F/A-18 "Hornet" assigned to the “Sunliners” of Strike Fighter Squadron Eight One (VFA 81) during sustained flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Norfolk, Va. based aircraft carrier and her embarked Carrier Air Wing One Seven (CVW-17) are on a regularly scheduled deployment. Carriers allow the United States to bring air power where it's needed, when it's needed and for as long as it's n

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020806-N-6747H-001 At sea aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) Aug. 6, 2002 -- Airman Victor Fernandez, a native of Puerto Rico, attaches a launch bar to the catapult “shuttle” for an F/A-18 "Hornet" assigned to the “Sunliners” of Strike Fighter Squadron Eight One (VFA 81) during sustained flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Norfolk, Va. based aircraft carrier and her embarked Carrier Air Wing One Seven (CVW-17) are on a regularly scheduled deployment. Carriers allow the United States to bring air power where it's needed, when it's needed and for as long as it's needed without requiring any basing permission from another country. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Heather Hess. (RELEASED) US Navy 020806-N-6747H-001 An F-A-18 Hornet strike fighter is made ready for a catapult launch

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Photo credit: © PJF Military Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: /-18, aircraft, armed, conflict, deck, enduring, flight, forces, freedom, hornet, military, states, sunliners, united, vfa-81, war, washington