PLAN breaking news, pics, & videos

Brumby

Major
Japan-based U.S. aircraft carrier in South China Sea ahead of key Chinese anniversary

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


In a move likely to stoke anger in Beijing just days before it marks a key anniversary, the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is conducting operations in the disputed South China Sea, near China’s man-made islands, new images have shown.

Satellite images posted to social media showed what appeared to be the Reagan and several unidentified warships, possibly U.S. and Chinese, sailing in the area northeast of the contested Spratly Island chain in the waterway on Saturday.

Asked about the images, the Reagan’s location and if it was meant to send a message to China, a spokeswoman for the U.S. 7th Fleet declined to confirm the carrier’s location, but said it was currently underway, “conducting routine operations.”

“Her underway is not in response to any specific events,” Cmdr. Reann Mommsen said in an email.

China’s Defense Ministry on Thursday said that the carrier and its strike group, which are home-ported in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, were in the South China Sea “to flex muscles and escalate regional militarization.”

“We are firmly opposed to that. We urge the U.S. side to respect the security concerns of countries in the region and make positive contributions to the peace and stability in the South China Sea,” ministry spokesman Col. Ren Guoqiang said. “The Chinese military will earnestly perform its duties and missions and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security.”

China’s ruling Communist Party is due to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic on Tuesday, rolling out some of its most advanced and powerful weaponry in a show of the progress it has made in modernizing its military. Analysts say the massive military parade to mark the anniversary will likely include cutting-edge anti-ship missiles and ballistic missiles capable of sinking U.S. carriers and striking American bases in Japan.

However, the presence of the Reagan in the waterway could be seen as the U.S. attempting to throw cold water on the celebrations amid Washington’s protracted trade war with Beijing.
 
through
:
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

·
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

A minor correction at the bottom left.
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

***

the date purportedly 9/28 (was 9/23 Today at 9:15 AM)
amazing if true
could be I was just late to the story (LOL) as inside
Defense Ministry's Regular Press Conference on Sept. 26
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

:

Question: According to foreign media reports, some foreign satellite images showed that the USS Ronald Reagan was sailing in the South China Sea. There seemed to be many Chinese naval ships around it. Can you confirm that?

Answer: The US aircraft carrier group came to the South China Sea to flex muscles and escalate regional militarization. We are firmly opposed to that. We urge the US side to respect the security concerns of countries in the region and make positive contributions to the peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Chinese military will earnestly perform its duties and missions and firmly safeguard national sovereignty and security.
 

kriss

Junior Member
Registered Member
TF 70 just had a change of command which may or may not has direct connection with this event.
 
sorry to be about one day late, anyway it's a piquant story (while China sends a pretty modern warship, South Korea didn't get invited):
China deploys guided-missile destroyer to Japan naval review
follow the link
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
if interested
 
Yesterday at 5:51 PM
sorry to be about one day late, anyway it's a piquant story (while China sends a pretty modern warship, South Korea didn't get invited):
China deploys guided-missile destroyer to Japan naval review
follow the link
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
if interested
and here's what the USNI news had to say (understandably, the South Korean part isn't mentioned):
Chinese Warship Visit to Japan Part of Growing Military Charm Offensive

follow the link
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
if interested
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
Mystery sailless submarine spotted.

This is a tweet by @CovertShores, or H. I. Sutton, who wrote some articles for Forbes.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!


Update on
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
mystery
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
. Do you see what I see? First public satellite imagery of her confirms length as ~45 meters.
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!



EGajJQDWkAAJI0r.jpeg
 
Tuesday at 5:51 PM
sorry to be about one day late, anyway it's a piquant story (while China sends a pretty modern warship, South Korea didn't get invited):
China deploys guided-missile destroyer to Japan naval review
follow the link
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
if interested
and she's there according to
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

·
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Chinese missile destroyer Taiyuan arrived in
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
on Thursday, marking the first time in 10 years for a Chinese naval ship to visit the country and the first time ever to attend fleet review in Japan.
Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 

sealordlawrence

Junior Member
In the updated Google Earth imagery (dated 18th September 2019) from JN shipyard there are hull modules being built, for what looks like another 052D, to the north west of the 055 assembly area.
 
Top