MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Oct. 13, 2023) An F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the "Blacklions" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213, top, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet attached to the "Ragin' Bulls" of VFA-31 fly in formation over the world's largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) flight deck in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 13, 2023. VFA-213 and VFA-31 are deployed aboard the Gerald R. Ford as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8. USS Gerald R. Ford is the 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 currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, at 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 2nd Class Jackson Adkins)