181205-N-OM854-0292 INDIAN OCEAN (Dec. 5, 2018) An F/A-18F Super Hornet, with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, takes off from the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in 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. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Grant G. Grady/Released)