USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) conducts fueling-at-sea with USS Robert Smalls (CG 62)

240701-N-UF592-1125 PACIFIC OCEAN (July 1, 2024) Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Robert Smalls (CG 62), approaches the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), before a fueling-at-sea in the Pacific Ocean, July 1. 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 Eric Stanton)