GULF OF ADEN (July 12, 2021) The guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) operates in formation with aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during a fueling-at-sea in the Gulf of Aden. Ronald Reagan is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Machinist's Mate Fireman Brandon Perera)