MEDITERRANEAN SEA ( Aug. 31, 2023) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter attached to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 prepares to take off from the flight deck of the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 31, 2023. 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 Seaman Tajh Payne)