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Ian Ellis Profile picture
@ianellisjones
Apr 23 • 11 tweets • 5 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
🚨Major military activity continues in the Pacific.

Updated map & new developments:

- China: 2 new military exercises underway
- First time 2 Chinese aircraft carriers operate simultaneously
- Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group enters Pacific
- 18 Russian ships pass near Japan Image
Militaries from the US, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Australia, China, Russia, & North Korea are exercising & operating in the Western Pacific this weekend.

This is not being reported by the media.

I researched for hours so you can get up to speed in minutes.
1. China announced 2 new military exercises near Qingdao in the Yellow Sea & Hainan in the South China Sea.

This is in addition to the "major military activity" that took place on Tuesday.

The drills are underway, ongoing for over 24 hours, & expected to end on 23-24 April.
2. Chinese media is reporting that the Liaoning aircraft carrier is operating in the Western Pacific, in addition to the Shandong CSG.

*If* this reporting is true, it would be the first time 2 Chinese aircraft carriers were operating in the Pacific together at the same time. Image
3. Carl Vinson CSG completed training in the Hawaiian Islands operating area "in preparation for an upcoming deployment."

The ships & aircraft of the CSG, led by its flagship, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), are made up of more than 5,000 Sailors & will deploy in Pacific @US7thFleet.
4. Japan's Ministry of Defense issued a press release stating that 18 Russian ships transited the Soya Strait & entered the Sea of Japan on 19-20 April.
5. The US Embassy in Thailand released a statement that the Nimitz CSG will visit Thailand from 24-29 April.

Over the past ~2 weeks, the Nimitz CSG transited from South Korea to the Eastern Coast of Taiwan, operating in the Philippine Sea before moving to the South China Sea. Image
6. US Air Force advanced aircraft arrived at Kadena Air Base, Japan, on 22 April.

Kadena is a USAF base located ~650km off the coast of China and is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highly strategic location.
7. Japan puts military on alert fearing North Korean missile launch on Saturday.

"Japan ordered its military on Saturday to prepare to shoot down a North Korean ballistic missile after Pyongyang said this week it was ready to launch its first military spy satellite." Image
8. Planned combined military exercises & ongoing operations continue until 28 April between:

- The US, Japan, South Korea, & Taiwan in the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, & Sea of Japan.

- The US, Philippines, & Australia in the Philippine Sea & South China Sea for #Balikatan23
9. Tracking other US Naval Assets in the region:

- Ronald Reagan CSG forward-deployed in Yokosuka, Japan
- America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in Sasebo, Japan
- Makin Island ARG underway in the Philippine Sea
- USS Chung Hoon departed Subic Bay, Philippines

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More from @ianellisjones

Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 22
Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group enters the Pacific 👀

"We are providing U.S. Pacific Fleet with a ready, resilient, combat-credible force & underscoring to our competitors that today is not the day to test us."

"We can choose to operate in any ocean around the world, today." Image
The Vinson CSG completed training in the Hawaiian Islands operating area on April 17 in "preparation for an upcoming deployment."

The ships & aircraft of the CSG, led by its flagship, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), are made up of more than 5,000 Sailors & will deploy in @US7thFleet. Image
Group Sail is an integrated training exercise, and units engaged in:

- Maritime Security operations
- Anti-Submarine Warfare operations
- Flight operations
- Replenishments-at-Sea & Counter-Piracy operations
- Maritime Integrated-at-Sea operations & Combat Readiness
Read 7 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 22
China announced "military training activities" this weekend in the Yellow Sea & South China Sea.

A statement from the Maritime Safety Administration says the drills will take place "in the waters near Qingdao from 1800 hours on April 21 to 1800 hours on April 24." Image
"In the waters near Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, from 1800 hours on April 21st to 1800 hours on April 24th, military training activities will be organized. Local vessels are strictly prohibited from entering this area without approval from the relevant military departments." Image
Bloomberg also reported drills in the South China Sea:

"The PLA will also hold drills starting 6 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m. Sunday in the South China Sea, according to a separate statement from the Maritime Safety Administration Wednesday."

I'm working to verify independently.
Read 7 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 18
NEW: China has held major military drills in the Yellow Sea.

"The exercises were in waters off Shandong Province where military drills often take place. The Chinese Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) did not specify what activities were being carried out."

Source: @taiwanplusnews
Map from @taiwanplusnews: Image
Significant military activity is underway in the Pacific.

As of Monday, militaries & navies from the US, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Australia, China, Russia, & North Korea were actively operating in the region.

Live thread tracking all major developments:
Read 5 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 18
🚨 A LOT going down in the Pacific right now.

The US & its allies—Japan, South Korea, Philippines, & Australia—and China & its allies—Russia & North Korea—are all actively operating in the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, & Sea of Japan.

Here’s everything you need to know 👇 Image
1. The big news this morning was China’s announcement of “major military activity” in the Yellow Sea near Qingdao.

The Shandong Carrier Strike Group was last spotted in the Philippine Sea on April 16.

This is worth watching & I’m running a live thread with everything I find:
2. On Friday, the Russian Pacific Fleet was placed on “high alert” for snap military drills.

The Russian Defense Ministry declared that the southern Sea of Okhotsk, the Peter the Great Bay of the Sea of Japan, & the Avacha Bay on the Kamchatka Peninsula would be closed.
Read 16 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 18
Tracking @USNavy Assets in the Pacific: April 10-17 🇺🇸

- USS Milius performed a Taiwan Strait transit
- Nimitz CSG underway in the South China Sea from East Coast of Taiwan
- Makin Island ARG operating in the Sulu Sea, Philippines
- Vinson CSG on the move in the Middle Pacific Image
Sailors on the USS Milius (DDG-69) are probably not sleeping much.

On April 16, the destroyer transited the Taiwan Strait—its 3rd freedom of navigation operation in less than one month near waters contested by China.

I'm closely tracking the movements of the Milius here:
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is underway in the South China Sea.

One week ago, the CSG was operating off the Eastern Coast of Taiwan in the Philippine Sea.

The Nimitz chopped into @US7thFleet on December 16, and this is the third time the CSG has operated in the SCS.
Read 17 tweets
Ian Ellis Profile picture
Apr 17
NEW: China says "major military activity" to be conducted in the Yellow Sea on April 18.

Apparently this was posted by China's Maritime Safety Administration and first reported by Reuters, but I cannot confirm the source as the website is blocked. Image
The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Image
This *may* be in response to the US warship that transited the Taiwan Strait ~12 hours ago.
Read 15 tweets

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