A U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18E "Super Hornet", attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31 "Tomcatters", and an F/A-18F, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 213 "Black Lions", prepare to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS "George H.W. Bush" (CVN-77) in the Arabian Sea to conduct strike missions against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets. "George H.W. Bush", with assigned Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8) was supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.