ARABIAN GULF (Oct. 16, 2020) The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) steams at sunrise in the Arabian Gulf. Nimitz is the flagship of the Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce. (U.S. Navy photo by Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) 1st Class Ronald Obitz)