An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron One One Three (VFA-113) launches from one of the waist catapults of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Carriers such as Abraham Lincoln allow the United States to bring air power where it's needed, when it's needed and for as long as it's needed without requiring any basing permission from another country. Lincoln and her embarked Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14) are conducting combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. However, the U.S. Navy is not operating alone. More than 100 ships from eleven nations have participated in Operation Enduring Freedom maritime operations. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Daniel J. Mark.