MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Oct. 11, 2023) An F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to "Ragin' Bulls" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37 launches from the flight deck of the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 11, 2023. Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advances 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 currently operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, at the direction of the Secretary of Defense. The U.S. maintains forward-deployed, ready, and postured forces to deter aggression and support security and stability around the world. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Triniti Lersch)