PACIFIC OCEAN (May 12, 2022) Capt. Fred Goldhammer, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), observes the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Teruzuki (DD-116) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) sail in formation with Ronald Reagan. The U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force routinely conduct naval exercises together, strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. 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 George Cardenas)