GULF OF OMAN (Nov. 8, 2021) Royal Naval sailors embark a Royal Navy Merlin Mk4 attached to 845 Naval Air Squadron, deployed with the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (R 08), aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) during an interoperability exercise with Queen Elizabeth. Essex and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit 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 the Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John McGovern)