MEDITERRANEAN SEA (June 30, 2023) Sailors assigned to the air department onboard the world’s largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), perform final checks before launching an E2-D Hawkeye from the “Bear Aces” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 124, June 30, 2023, during flight operations in the Mediterranean Sea. VAW-124 is deployed aboard Gerald R. Ford as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8. 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. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Simon Pike)