PHILIPPINE SEA (May 25, 2022) Sailors prepare to launch an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115, on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing (CAG) 5 are conducting carrier qualifications to certify the ship and embarked squadrons are fully capable for at sea flight operations. 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 Seaman Evan Mueller)