ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 19, 2021) An F/A-18F Super Hornet, from the “Mighty Shrikes” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 94, launches off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during flight operations in the north Arabian Sea. Nimitz, the flagship of the 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 Bryant Lang)