Members of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Robert Burke, embarked Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Jan. 27, during at-sea operations in the Atlantic Ocean.

Members experienced carrier aviation first-hand and met with leadership, who highlighted the unique capabilities and role of the Navy’s aircraft carriers to national defense.

"The Navy continues to work with Congress to highlight our successes and address our challenges to efficiently maintain and modernize the Navy's growing fleet," said Burke. "Observing operations at sea is a great way to demonstrate to Congress what makes us the most capable and lethal Navy in the world. We are grateful for the continuing support of Congress to keep us that way."

Four Congressmen, including HASC Seapower Chairman Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), HASC Readiness Chairman Rep. John Garamendi (R-CA), HASC Seapower Ranking Member Rep. Wittman (R-VA), and HASC Readiness Ranking Member Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO), observed flight operations and received a briefing on overall carrier strike group capabilities, as well Carrier Strike Group TEN-specific readiness, integration, and operations.

Following the briefings with Navy leadership, the visiting Congressmen made time to engage with Sailors from their home districts in California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Virginia in the ship’s hangar bay,

“Monday’s embark to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was a special opportunity for our bipartisan Congressional delegation to observe some of the at-sea capabilities of our U.S. Navy, and it was an honor to meet with Sailors from Connecticut who are serving and doing outstanding work aboard the aircraft carrier,” said Chairman Courtney. “It was especially exciting to see Lt. Charles Peck from Old Lyme, who I nominated to the Naval Academy, as he embarked on his first mission as an air wing pilot. The HASC Seapower Subcommittee is historically one of the most bipartisan panels in Congress, and it was great to witness the capabilities of ‘Ike’ and to hear directly from some of our nation’s top naval leadership about the increasingly important role of the Navy’s aircraft carrier fleet alongside the Ranking Member of our subcommittee, Congressman Rob Wittman. Our Navy is far and away the strongest and most capable the world over, and we’ll keep working together in the Seapower Subcommittee and in Congress to maintain its dominance.”

Rep. Wittman added, “Aircraft carriers remain the nation’s preeminent power projection platform and the cornerstone of the U.S. Navy. It was an absolute pleasure to be a guest on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower to not only meet with the hardworking Sailors aboard, but to see the amazing operations our men and women in uniform carry out each day to keep us safe.”

Rep. Lamborn echoed this sentiment, “I was grateful for the opportunity to visit and observe a major exercise aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and its carrier strike group. Aircraft carriers are unique and central to U.S. power projection. They serve as the ‘Big Stick,’ which enables U.S. diplomacy, keeping the peace on the global seaways, and securing our prosperity. The unique profile of our Navy’s aircraft carriers stand as a symbol of hope to our friends and allies and inspire fear of American justice in our enemies.” He added, “Standing on the flight deck as our Sailors launched and recovered aircraft reinforced to me that this platform’s strength lies not just in its capabilities and equipment, but in the men and women crewing the ship. They are peerless professionals standing watch every day, around the clock, and the world. I wish them fair winds and following seas.”

"This experience made me proud to be at sea with the men and women serving aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower," said Burke. "The Sailors today are the best we've ever had - by any metric."

Ike is currently conducting operations in the Atlantic Ocean as a part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.