Two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers along with 26 units of United States
F-35 stealth fighter jets held a combat exercise with the Japanese Navy in
the Philippine Sea. This maneuver comes as tensions with China continue to
heat up.
The aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS Abraham Lincoln
(CVN-72) are leading the combat drills that began Sunday (1/23/2022),
flanked by seven other American warships and a Japanese warship.
Seven American warships taking part in the exercise include the amphibious
assault ships USS America (LHA-6) and USS Essex.
The guided missile cruisers USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) and USS Lake Champlain
(CG-57) and the destroyers USS Spruance (DDG-111), USS Chafee (DDG-90) and
USS Gridley (DDG-101).
Meanwhile, the Japanese warship that took part in this maneuver was the JS
Hyuga (DDH-181).
The commander of the US 7th Fleet, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, called this
show of force the ultimate freedom of navigation maneuver. He claims that
there is no questioning Washington's commitment to a free and open
Indo-Pacific.
"Two Aircraft Carrier Combat Groups and two Amphibious Ready Groups sailed
with our close friends from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force," said
Thomas, as quoted from USNI News, Monday (24/1/2022).
The exercise took place somewhere in the Philippine Sea which includes
waters east of Taiwan. It was the largest of its kind since the US, UK and
Japan held massive drills southeast of Okinawa last October.
China carried out its own military action in the region on Sunday,
alarming Taiwan with 39 military aircraft, including a bomber. The 39
Beijing military aircraft entered Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone
(ADIZ).
In response, Taiwan then deployed several fighter jets and activated the
missile defense system to be ready for any eventuality to come.
