200531-N-RF825-1079 PHILIPPINE SEA (May 31, 2020) Aviation Boatswain�s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Classes Larry Johnson and Alexander Reyes perform final checks on the catapult system as an F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 prepares to take off from the flight deck of the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Tarleton/Released)