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Ian Ellis Profile picture
@ianellisjones
Apr 11, 2023 • 19 tweets • 10 min read • Read on X
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 Image
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. ImageImage
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. Image
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. Image
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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More from @ianellisjones

Ian Ellis Profile picture
Dec 12
🚨 China quietly carried out a sweeping military operation this week in the Western Pacific — its largest naval deployment in decades.

Taiwan defense officials called the unannounced exercise staggering, unprecedented, and extremely rare.

Here’s everything you need to know 🧵 Image
Earlier this week, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted a massive joint military exercise around the Taiwan Strait and Western Pacific, targeting the entire first island chain.

Taiwan’s military spokesperson said the scale of the naval deployment was the largest since the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis. In a notable first, Eastern, Northern, and Southern Theater Commands participated together in coordination.
The PLA designated 7 reserved airspace zones east of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, spanning more than 800 miles along the first island chain (which extends south from Japan and through Taiwan to the Philippines).
Read 11 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Dec 9
Admiral Paparo: “I remain confident that we’d prevail in a conflict with the PRC over Taiwan...

And, in fact, the PRC also doubts their own ability to prevail in such a conflict...

That doesn’t negate that if they decided there would have to be a war of necessity, they’re going at tremendous risk to themselves...

Our concern is that the margin — expressed in risk of succeeding, lost lives, lost capability, lost money, and lost time — is eroding.”
Adm. Paparo, Commander of @INDOPACOM, speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, says the U.S. needs to double down on:
Response when asked about stationing U.S. troops on Taiwan:

“U.S. troops on Taiwan has the tremendous risk of tripping China’s 2005 Anti-Secession Law...

However, defensive services is an element of the Taiwan Relations Act...

So, I don’t discuss U.S. presence on Taiwan...”
Read 5 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Dec 2
A lot going on in the Indo-Pacific — a few things you may have missed last week 🧵

- Chinese balloons are back around Taiwan
- China + Russia conduct 9th joint strategic aerial patrol
- Largest swarm of Chinese ships ever near Philippines’ Thitu island
- Taiwan intercepts China Coast Guard ships in Kinmen’s restricted waters
- Three PRC research vessels enter the Philippines’ EEZ
- CCG carries out intrusive patrols in Malaysia’s EEZ
- Taiwan’s President lands in Hawaii, irking Beijing
- U.S. approves $320 million arms sale to Taiwan

China could launch military drills, or exercise “Joint Sword C,” in response. More info + sources below.Image
Chinese balloons are back—

After a 7+ month hiatus, Taiwan detected at least 6 Chinese balloons entering its air defense ID zone (ADIZ) over the last week.

From December 2023 to April 2024, China sent an unprecedented 102 balloons over and around the island. Image
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China debuts H-6N bomber & conducts strategic aerial patrol with Russia in the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, and WESTPAC—

For the first time, China employed the H-6N strategic bomber in the patrol. The H-6N is “emblematic of the strategic transformation of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force” and capable of long-range operations, aerial refueling, and carrying nuclear weapons.

It is the 9th patrol organized by the two militaries since 2019 and the 2nd this year.Image
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Read 9 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Nov 12
New details from DOD — U.S. Navy repels multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks:

- Destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) & USS Spruance (DDG 111), part of the Lincoln CSG, were attacked while transiting the BAM on 11 Nov
- Included at least 8x one-way attack drones, 5x anti-ship ballistic missiles, & 3x anti-ship cruise missiles
- Despite reports, aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) (recently in the Gulf of Aden) was not targeted
- Successfully engaged & defeated with no injuries or damage

“CENTCOM forces retain the inherent right of self-defense & will take appropriate steps to protect our personnel.” —Pentagon Press Sec
“On November 11th, U.S. Central Command forces successfully repelled multiple Iranian-backed Houthi attacks during a transit of the Bab el Mandeb Strait. During the transit, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Spruance were attacked by at least eight one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems, five anti-ship ballistic missiles, and three anti-ship cruise missiles, which were successfully engaged and defeated.

The vessels were not damaged. No personnel were hurt. Again, CENTCOM forces retain the inherent right of self-defense, and as I highlighted earlier, will take appropriate steps to protect our personnel.”
“This is the second time the two independently-deployed destroyers have come under Houthi fire. The Houthis also launched an attack in late September against the two destroyers, as well as USS Indianapolis (LCS-17), USNI News previously reported.”
Read 6 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Nov 11
Updated chart visualizing Chinese PLA incursions into Taiwan’s air defense ID zone (ADIZ) this year.

The record-breaking surge began in May following President Lai’s inauguration. By August, ADIZ incursions had already surpassed 2023 totals — with the tally now 1,000+ higher. Image
First iteration:
“This is not a slide that comes out of @PACAF, but I do like it and I use it for this purpose.

You know we see this bullying taking place in the air domain: two lines on the chart. The one that’s in orange shows the air defense identification zone or ADIZ — incursions that the PLA has conducted against Taiwan in 2023. And while that slope is fairly constant, it just shows a persistent presence and pressure being put on the Taiwans. The blue line, or the green, depending on how this shows up for you, is 2024. And you notice in May, when President Lai was inaugurated, the slope on that line took about a 3x rise.

And again, just indications of how the bullying and threatening behaviors continue to be exhibited.” —Gen. Kevin Schneider
Read 6 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Oct 24
The U.S. Marine Corps’ XQ-58A Valkyrie, a highly autonomous, long-range, low-cost tactical unmanned platform, completed its 4th test flight & “effectively demonstrated its capabilities as a forward deployed sensing platform — providing critical threat targeting data to USMC 5th-generation aircraft to rapidly close advanced kill chains.”Image
Multi-domain test event “Emerald Flag” provides opportunity for XQ-58A to demonstrate tactical data link integration (Source: USMC) Image
“A test Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned combat aerial vehicle deployed last week in a first-ever joint force data link integration test during Emerald Flag 2024 last week.

The Marine Corps’ “Loyal Wingman” drone provides targeting data to F-35Bs and other aircraft.” @Aaron_MatthewIL
Read 5 tweets

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