200530-N-ML137-1057

PHILIPPINE SEA (May 30, 2020) Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. William R. Merz conducts pre-flight checks on an F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 on the flight deck of the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during a scheduled visit. During the visit, Merz talked with Sailors about the health of the force and observed the ship’s operational readiness. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, as well as the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.