211130-N-LU761-1251

Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, right, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, and Rupert Wingfield Hayes, British Broadcasting Corporation journalist, discuss flight operations aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX) 2021, Nov. 30, 2021. ANNUALEX is a multilateral exercise conducted by naval elements of the Royal Australian, Royal Canadian, German, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and U.S. navies to demonstrate naval interoperability and a joint commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.