PHILIPPINE SEA (Sept. 29, 2021) Lt. Jason Bruno, from Bentonville, Arkansas, performs preflight checks in an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the �Royal Maces� of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27, on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy�s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gray Gibson)