ARABIAN SEA (July 22, 2021) Sailors prepare an F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet, attached to the �Royal Maces� of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, to launch from the flight deck of aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during flight operations in the Arabian Sea, July 22. 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 3rd Class Oswald Felix Jr.)