PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 15, 2020) Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class Samuel Stouder, from Elkhart, Indiana, conducts final checks on an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the "Eagles" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, as it prepares to launch from the flight deck of the Navy�s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erica Bechard)