U.S. Navy plane captains clean the canopies of F/A-18 Hornets in preparation for flight operations in the Persian Gulf.
U.S. Navy plane captains clean the canopies of F/A-18 Hornets on the flight deck of the USS George Washington (CVN 73) in preparation for flight operations in the Persian Gulf on Sept. 2, 2000. Washington and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 are on station in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, which is the U.S. and coalition enforcement of the no-fly-zone over Southern Iraq. The Hornets are attached to Strike Fighter Squadrons 34 and 81 of Oceana Naval Air Station, Va. Department of Defense photo.