SOUTH CHINA SEA

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb. 6, 2025) Royal Australian Navy Sailor Leading Seaman Edward Ploy leans out of an Royal Australian Navy MH-60R helicopter on the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) during multilateral operations with Australia and the United Kingdom in the South China Sea, Feb. 6. Benfold is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s Largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Monica Walker.) Share

SOUTH CHINA SEA

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb. 6, 2025) Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65), support flight operations for a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter on Benfold’s flight deck during multilateral operations with Australia and the United Kingdom in the South China Sea, Feb. 6. Benfold is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s Largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Monica Walker.) Share

SOUTH CHINA SEA

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb. 6, 2025) Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Rohan Preston guides a Royal Australian Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter onto the flight deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) during multilateral operations with Australia and the United Kingdom in the South China Sea, Feb. 6. Benfold is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s Largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Monica Walker.) Share

PHILIPPINE SEA

250205-N-SW005-1053 PHILIPPINE SEA (Feb. 5, 2025) Lance Cpl. Emily Segura, from Houston, assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires in an M4 carbine rifle during a deck shoot evolution onboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 5. America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sade’ Anita Wallace) Share

PHILIPPINE SEA

250208-N-TW227-1174 PHILIPPINE SEA (Feb. 8, 2025) An AS 322 Puma helicopter from the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10), participates in a vertical replenishment with the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during a replenishment-at-sea evolution in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 8. America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kenneth Melseth) Share

SULU SEA

SIBUTU PASSAGE (Feb. 6, 2025) – The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), left, and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) transit the Sibutu Passage Feb. 6, 2025. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brianna Walker) Share

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO

A Sailor assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) runs to embrace his loved one after the ship pulled into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. O’Kane, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, returned from a seven-month deployment to the 3rd, 5th, and 7th. fleet area of operations. As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training to ensure the readiness necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Fire Controlman (Aegis) 1st Class Bryce Cothran) Share

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO

Friends and family of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) crew wait for the ship to pull into its homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. O’Kane, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, returned from a seven-month deployment to the 3rd, 5th, and 7th. fleet area of operations. As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training to ensure the readiness necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Ulrika Mendiola) Share

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) pulls into their homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. O’Kane, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, returned from a seven-month deployment to the 3rd, 5th, and 7th. fleet area of operations. As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training to ensure the readiness necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Ulrika Mendiola) Share

NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG 77) pulls into their homeport of Naval Base San Diego, Feb. 7, 2025. O’Kane, assigned to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, returned from a seven-month deployment to the 3rd, 5th, and 7th. fleet area of operations. As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training to ensure the readiness necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Interior Communications Electrician 2nd Class Ulrika Mendiola) Share

PACIFIC OCEAN

An E/A-18G Growler from the “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 prepares for an arrested landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Pacific Ocean, Feb. 5, 2025. Nimitz is underway in U.S. 3rd Fleet conducting routine training operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hannah Kantner) Share

SOUTH CHINA SEA

SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb. 05, 2025) The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) sails in the front of a formation with the Philippine Navy Jose Rizal-class frigate BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150), center, the Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart (DDG 39), left, and the Japan Maritime Defense Force Akizuki-class destroyer JS Akizuki (DD 115), during a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity exercise with the Australia, Japan and the Philippines Feb. 05, 2025. Benfold is forward deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s Largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Monica Walker.) Share