200621-N-DL524-1052 PHILIPPINE SEA (June 21, 2020) Lt. Sean Cross, from Abilene, Texas, signals an F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 to launch 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 Erica Bechard/Released)