181101-N-AT135-1111 ARABIAN GULF (Nov. 1, 2018) Sailors assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) and Marines assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participate in a foreign object debris walk-down on the ship's flight deck during a scheduled deployment of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th MEU. The Essex ARG and 13th MEU is the first U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team to deploy to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations with the transformational warfighting capabilities of the F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, making it a more lethal, flexible and persistent force, leading to a more stable region for the U.S.'s partner nations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Freeman/Released)