MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Oct. 11, 2023) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter attached to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 conducts hoisting exercises on 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 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 3rd Class Maxwell Orlosky)