GULF OF ADEN (July 15, 2021) Sailors perform preflight checks on an F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet, attached to the �Eagles� of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, on the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during flight operations 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 Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gray Gibson)