NORTH SEA (May 21, 2023) The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is underway in formation during a passing exercise with Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 in the North Sea, May 21, 2023. The ships underway include the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), the Polish navy frigate ORP Gen Tadeusz Kosciuszko (F273), the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), the German navy frigate FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (F218), the Spanish navy frigate ESPS Alvaro De Bazan (F101), and the Royal Netherlands Navy HNLMS Van Amstel (F831). Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, representing a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale. The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. 6th Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)