200606-N-SL179-1028 ARABIAN SEA (June 6, 2020) Sailors, assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), prepare an AV-8B Harrier, assigned to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 542 (Reinforced), to take off during flight operations, June 6, 2020. Bataan is the flagship for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean and three critical choke points to the free flow of global commerce. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alan L. Robertson/Released)