GULF OF ADEN (Dec. 2, 2021) The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) prepares to sail alongside the amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) during an underway replenishment operation in the Gulf of Aden. Pearl Harbor 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 3rd Class Sang Kim)