INDIAN OCEAN (July 27, 2023) Sailors prepare an F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 to launch on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), during flight operations in support of Talisman Sabre 23 in the Indian Ocean, July 27, 2023. 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. Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key Allies and enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Keyly Santizo)