ARABIAN SEA (Aug. 31, 2021) An F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet, attached to the “Diamondbacks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102, launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in the Arabian Sea, Aug. 31. Ronald Reagan is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 5 and 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 the Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Quinton A. Lee)