220813-N-GN523-1079

PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug 13, 2022) Sailors assigned to the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) prepare to lower a rigid-hull inflatable boat into the sea during small boat operations in the Philippine Sea, Aug. 13. Ronald Reagan’s rigid-hull inflatable boats are able to perform tasks including at sea rescue 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 2nd Class Keyly Santizo)