EAST CHINA SEA (Oct. 17, 2023) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Aircraft Handling) 3rd Class Julian Bibb, from Detroit, stands by as an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115 takes off from the flight deck of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in the East China Sea, Oct. 17, 2023. The Eagles conduct carrier-based air strikes and strike force escort missions, as well as ship, battle group, and intelligence collection operations. 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. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jordan Brown)