190420-A-YD127-1103 STRAIT OF HORMUZ (April 20, 2019) A Sailor stands watch aboard the Cyclone-class coastal patrol ship USS Whirlwind (PC 11) while the ship transits the Strait of Hormuz. Whirlwind is forward-deployed to the U.S. 5TH Fleet area of operations and support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Army photo be Spc. Vincent Fausnaught/Released)