STRAIT OF HORMUZ (July 18, 2021) The Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14), the coastal patrol ship USS Whirlwind (PC 11), the Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose (F 236), the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), the U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter USCGC Charles Moulthrope (WPC 1141) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), not pictured, transit the Strait of Hormuz. Shiloh, Cesar Chavez, Whirlwind, Montrose, Monterey and Charles Moulthrope are 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 1st Class Rawad Madanat)