USS George Washington has operated in the CENTCOM area of responsibility since arriving in the Arabian Sea in August 2026, conducting sustained flight operations with its air wing as of early October. It became the sole U.S. carrier in the theater after USS George H.W. Bush departed for a port visit in Thailand and subsequent Pacific operations. USS Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego on September 27 and is expected to relieve the George Washington, enabling its return to the Indo-Pacific. Carrier rotations in the region remain subject to operational demands tied to ongoing U.S. military activities near Iran, with no fixed departure timeline announced and potential for extension based on force posture needs.