NORTH ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 12, 2021) An F/A-18C Hornet, from the "Death Rattlers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, and an F/A-18F Super Hornet, from the "Mighty Shrikes" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94, sit on catapults prior to launch on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz, the flagship of Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, 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 Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joseph Calabrese)