180724-N-AT135-0148 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 24, 2018) Sailors remove chocks and chains from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, attached to the “Blackjacks�? of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, on the flight deck of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) during a scheduled deployment of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU). The Essex ARG/MEU team is a strong, flexible, responsive, and consistent force capable of maneuver warfare across all domains; it is equipped and scalable to respond to any crisis from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to contingency operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Freeman/Released)