English: The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) sails in formation in the Arabian Gulf with the Royal Navy air-defence destroyer HMS Defender (D36), the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and the French Marine Nationale anti-air frigate Jean Bart (D615), 9 November 2014. The Carl Vinson strike group was deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility supporting "Operation Inherent Resolve", strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations, and theater security cooperation efforts in the region. With a quarter of the world's navies participating including 6,500 Sailors from every region, IMCMEX was the largest international naval exercise promoting maritime security and the free-flow of trade through mine countermeasure operations, maritime security operations, and maritime infrastructure protection in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility and throughout the world.