BAY OF BENGAL (Dec. 7, 2021) Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Aaron Machart, from Sugar Land, Texas, fires a .50-caliber machine gun aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) for a gunnery exercise during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Bangladesh 2021. In its 27th year, CARAT series is comprised of multinational exercises, designed to enhance U.S. and partner navies' abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Tulsa, part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, is on a rotational deployment, operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Devin M. Langer)