SOUTH CHINA SEA (May 1, 2024) U.S. Marines assigned to Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, transport gear on the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) while underway in the South China Sea during Exercise Balikatan 24, May 1, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Evan Diaz)