Tracking @USNavy Assets in the Pacific April 3-10 🇺🇸
- Nimitz CSG transits to the Eastern Coast of Taiwan from South Korea
- Makin ARG to Western Philippines from Busan, S. Korea
- Carl Vinson CSG moves to Eastern Pacific from San Diego
- USS Milius passes Mischief Reef in FoN
The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) Carrier Strike Group is underway in the Philippine Sea, reportedly operating East of Taiwan, after completing a large anti-submarine warfare exercise with the South Korean & Japanese navies on April 4.
The Makin Island (LHD-8) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is now operating in the South China Sea, ~West of Manila. It transited over the past week from Busan, South Korea, for planned exercises with the Philippines navy.
The USS Milius (DDG-69), a guided-missile destroyer, passed within 12 nautical miles of China’s Mischief Reef artificial island installation & military infrastructure, which lies in the Philippines’ Economic Zone (and also claimed by Vietnam & Taiwan).
The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) Carrier Strike Group is underway in the Eastern Pacific, conducting drills in preparation for an upcoming deployment. One week ago, it was operating outside Naval Base San Diego.
The CSG completed its ratings & will join 7th Fleet operations as CSG1.
According to open source intelligence, the US Navy was operating at least two P-8 “Poseidon” Maritime Patrol & Anti-Submarine Aircraft and one USAF RC-135V “Rivet Joint” Signal Intelligence Platform off the Southern and Eastern coasts of Taiwan.
A US Marine Corps Cessna UC-35, used for the “Time Sensitive Shipment” of Personnel & Cargo left Okinawa, Japan headed Southwest towards the Philippines.
“From April 11-28, 17K members of the Philippines and US military will participate in an annual bilateral exercise.”
The PLAN’s CNS Shandong (17) Carrier Strike Group transited the Bashi Channel & has been operating off of Taiwan’s East coast.
The Nimitz CSG is also nearby in the vicinity of Taiwan. Two defense officials told USNI there have been no reported unsafe interactions.
The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) CSG, the only forward deployed aircraft carrier group, remains in port in Yokosuka, Japan.
The USS America (LHA-6) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is in Sasebo, Japan.
The map below shows PLAN activity as part of the Eastern Theatre Command’s “Joint Sword” drills from April 8-10.
As of Monday, there were 12 PLAN warships and more than 90 aircraft operating in the vicinity of Taiwan, according to officials in Taipei.
The Makin Island ARG—with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked—is operating in the SCS ahead of this week’s Balikatan exercise.
17K personnel will train together for maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, & more—a marked expansion from 9K in 2022.
FYI–Thread tracking movement of USN assets during PLAN drills: @Jkylebass @sentdefender @DefenseBulletin @WarintheFuture @tshugart3 @RealCynicalFox @anderscorr @heldavidson @ForkFliedLice @HelloMrBond @MarioNawfal @pete_gb @codeofvets @ElbridgeColby @CovertShores @VonClownsewitz
The Nimitz CSG is conducting multi-domain and integrated operations in the Philippine Sea as of April 11.
“We’re here not only to reassure our allies and partners of our unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order, but to work alongside them with a shared… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Map showing encounters between ships in Taiwan’s contiguous zone on April 10 (unconfirmed):
PLAN ships that participated in the exercises (unconfirmed):
As of April 11, satellite imagery shows the CNS Shandong aircraft carrier operating within 200 nautical miles of Taiwan’s east coast.
As of April 14, the Nimitz aircraft carrier continues routine operations in the Philippine Sea.
As of April 13, the USS Milius was underway in the South China Sea.
On April 10, the Milius asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the SCS near the Spratly Islands & Mischief Reef (where China has established artificial military infrastructure).
On Monday April 16, the US Navy sent the USS Milius destroyer through the Taiwan Strait.
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