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YOKOSUKA, Japan – U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Task Force 70, met with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Vice Adm. Yoshihiro Goka, commander of the Fleet Escort Force, in Yokosuka, Japan, as part of their commands’ annual staff talks, May 28, 2025.
The meetings took place in the Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 headquarters onboard U.S. Feet Activities Yokosuka. Task Force 70 also oversees the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN) 73, which returned to Yokosuka in November 2024 as America’s forward-deployed carrier in Japan, replacing USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which had served in the role for nine years.
“These talks represent a formal regular waypoint in what is a deep, interconnected relationship between our staffs and our forces across all domains,” said Newkirk. “Vice Adm. Goka brings a brilliant military mind to this journey to achieve interchangeability. We talk often and create opportunities for our teams to work together. During our carrier strike group’s 2024 patrols – with both Ronald Reagan and George Washington – we regularly and seamlessly integrated JMSDF surface combatants into our maneuver formation, and our independently deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers routinely sail with our Japanese allies. These staff talks include the detailed planning and coordination that sets the foundation for those bilateral operations over the course of the year, and allows our combined naval force to come together as a single, formidable deterrent team.”
Ronald Reagan operated with the JMSDF helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH 183) and the Maya-class guided-missile destroyer JS Haguro (DDG 180) during exercise Valiant Shield in June 2024, while George Washington operated with Haguro and the Murasme-class guided-missile destroyer JS Yudachi (DD-103) during its return patrol in November 2024.
The event aboard George Washington featured a series of meetings in which Task Force 70 and Fleet Escort Force staff members discussed maritime strategy, as well as upcoming patrols, operations and exercises.
Task Force 70 controls the preponderance of forward-deployed air and surface maneuver and striking forces in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, overseeing DESRON 15 and Carrier Air Wing 5, as well as the ships operating under Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5, including George Washington, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG 62) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86).
U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.03.2025 03:03 |
| Story ID: | 499477 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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