On Wednesday, April 23, the U.S. Navy reported that its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz had completed its scheduled visit to Guam and is now operating in the Philippine Sea, aiming to demonstrate the Navy’s commitment to its regional allies amid heightened tensions with China. Almost simultaneously, the Asian giant deployed its own aircraft carrier, the Shandong, to the same waters in order to monitor the Balikatan 25 exercises currently being conducted by U.S. and Philippine armed forces.
According to the official statement from the U.S. Navy, the Nimitz-led Carrier Strike Group will carry out multiple operations to showcase the institution’s power projection capabilities, including day and night flight operations under various conditions to train and highlight the assets of its embarked air wing. It is worth noting that the American aircraft carrier is carrying Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 and is escorted by Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9; all are operating under the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet.
Regarding these operations, Rear Admiral Maximilian Clark, commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, stated: “Operating forward as a strike group hones our ability to maintain persistent and capable forces at sea, always ready to provide our leaders with a broad spectrum of military capabilities to respond to any crisis or contingency.”
It should also be noted that the USS Nimitz is currently deployed in the Indo-Pacific as part of what is expected to be its final mission, with retirement scheduled for 2026 according to Navy plans, following over 50 years of service. The vessel originally departed from Naval Air Station North Island (San Diego) with the objective of relieving the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group in the region, which has since moved to the Middle East. Once the Nimitz’s mission concludes, the carrier is expected to dock at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, where it will await transfer to the Newport News shipyard for decommissioning.
Returning to the aforementioned Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, it is worth recalling that it has already been observed by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Philippine Navy during its transit through nearby waters, including its entrance into Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone, carried out in accordance with international regulations. Escorted by the Type 055 guided-missile destroyer Yan’an (106), the Chinese vessel has launched both fighter jets and helicopters multiple times over the region’s airspace, in what is considered a direct response to the aforementioned Balikatan 25 exercise, which has mobilized more than 14,000 troops and has been labeled a provocation by Beijing.
Image credits: Petty Officer 1st Class Samantha Jetzer; Petty Officer 2nd Class Hannah Kantner; Philippine Navy
You may also like:
