PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 10, 2007) - An SH-60F Seahawk assigned to the "Eightballers" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 8, attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, hovers near the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) acting as plane guard during exercise Valiant Shield 2007. A plane guard is in the air during flight operations to respond in the event of a man overboard or aircraft incident. The John C. Stennis, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups are participating in Valiant Shield, the largest joint exercise in recent history. Held in the Guam operating area, the exercise includes 30 ships, more than 280 aircraft and more than 20,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.