ARABIAN SEA (March 21, 2021) An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 164 (reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), takes off from the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) in support of Group Arabian Sea Warfare Exercise (GASWEX) 21 in the Arabian Sea, March 21. GASWEX 21 is a multilateral maritime exercise in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, with France, Belgium, Japan, and U.S., which provides a unique opportunity for participating forces to enhance mutual interoperability and capabilities in maritime security, anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, and anti-submarine warfare operations, allowing participating naval forces to effectively develop the necessary skills to address threats to regional security, freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael J. Lieberknecht)