A U.S. Sailor conducts maintenance on an MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71, on the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Arabian Gulf, Dec. 22, 2018. 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 Seaman Apprentice Jarrod A. Schad)