US: 3 Carrier Battle Groups Face-Off Against Chinese Carrier In South China Sea

[goldenequity]

US Deploys Three Carrier Battle Groups To Face-Off Against Chinese Aircraft Carrier In South China Sea
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-06/us-deploys-three-carrier-battle-groups-face-against-chinese-aircraft-carrier-south

Last week, we reported that satellite images had captured China’s only aircraft carrier in deployment, the Liaoning,
flanked by 40 other warships and submarines, conducting unprecedented live-fire drills in the South China Sea.
This massive Chinese naval exercise was observed for the first time,
with China watchers pointing out that such a forceful display of deterrence
was highly unusual for the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
Perhaps in light of recent events, it was merely a warning.


Now, according to the South China Morning Post, as Beijing flexes its naval war muscle,
the US is preparing for its own "show of force" naval drill in the Asia-Pacific region, and in close proximity to the Liaoning.
The Pentagon is reportedly sending an unprecedented three aircraft carrier battle groups to the region,
with the USS Theodore Roosevelt flotilla arriving in Singapore sometime early next week.

https://www.zerohedge.com/sites/default/files/styles/inline_image_desktop/public/inline-images/carrier%20fleet.jpg?itok=0HsBW_vY

Meanwhile "China is believed to have deployed the DF-21D, dubbed the “carrier killer”, in the East and South China seas
to fend off any possible US aircraft carrier battle group attacks on coastal cities, the country’s economic heartland," according to the SCMP.

Overlapping naval war drills could be a symptom of diplomatic and economic relations between the United States and China rapidly deteriorating
with the onset of a rapidly expanding trade war. Both countries announced tit-for-tat tariffs this week, which sent shockwaves through global markets.

President Trump maintained his aggressive approach to trade policy on Friday and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned
there is the possibility of a trade war with China.
In just the span of 72 hours, on Wednesday China reacted to Trump’s $50 billion tariff threat by declaring matching tariffs of its own on 106 U.S. exports.
In a tit-for-tat retaliation on Thursday, Trump slapped China with an additional $100 billion in tariffs.


U.S. strike group enters South China Sea as China deploys aircraft carrier
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/04/05/US-strike-group-enters-South-China-Sea-as-China-deploys-aircraft-carrier/8231522933843/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=1

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other regional news...

N. Korean foreign minister to visit Russia, to hold talks with Lavrov on Apr 10 - Russian Foreign Ministry
Interfax

Kim Jong-un reportedly receives invitation to visit Moscow
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/839489.html
Cooperation appears to be tightening between North Korea, China, and Russia

[Raginfridus]

"What?! China's having a drill, and we weren't invited?"

[goldenequity]

MONEY CHINA
@money_china
Trump to visit China in June - Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

[Zippyjuan]

Three US aircraft carrier battle groups? The Roosevelt has been in Asia for several months. The Carl Vincent just left on its way to return to San Diego. The Reagan has been in its home port in Japan since December 4th to undergo maintenance and is not at sea. That is the only other carrier anywhere near. http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html That leaves just one. Zerohedge does like to over-hype things.

Chinese exercises are to begin April 11th.


The Pentagon is reportedly sending an unprecedented three aircraft carrier battle groups to the region, with the USS Theodore Roosevelt flotilla arriving in Singapore sometime early next week.

Separately, the USS Carl Vinson and its fleet have just paid a first visit to the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang since the end of the Vietnam war, a move Chinese military experts said was aimed at countering Beijing’s influence in the region.


U.S. strike group enters South China Sea as China deploys aircraft carrier

<snip>

News of U.S. movements in waters where China has militarized disputed islands follows reports the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is returning to its home port in San Diego after conducting joint exercises with Japanese forces in the Western Pacific.

The Roosevelt Strike Group includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill and guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson, according to Singapore's Straits Times.

The Roosevelt previously conducted drills in Asia.

In November 2017, the ship conducted exercises with the USS Ronald Reagan, the USS Nimitz and the South Korean Navy, according to Yonhap.





https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/FT_04_02_2018.jpg

Location map as of April 5th.

[Swordsmyth]

Three US aircraft carrier battle groups? The Roosevelt has been in Asia for several months. The Carl Vincent just left on its way to return to San Diego. The Reagan has been in its home port in Japan since December 4th to undergo maintenance and is not at sea. That is the only other carrier anywhere near. http://www.gonavy.jp/CVLocation.html That leaves just one. Zerohedge does like to over-hype things.

Chinese exercises are to begin April 11th.







https://news.usni.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/FT_04_02_2018.jpg

Location map as of April 5th.
U.S. Naval Update Map: April 5, 2018



The Naval Update Map shows the approximate current locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups and Amphibious Ready Groups, based on available open-source information. No classified or operationally sensitive information is included in this weekly update. CSGs and ARGs are the keys to U.S. dominance over the world's oceans. A CSG is centered on an aircraft carrier, which projects U.S. naval and air power and supports a Carrier Air Wing, or CVW. The CSG includes significant offensive strike capability. An ARG is centered on three amphibious warfare ships, with a Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked. An MEU is built around a heavily reinforced and mobile battalion of Marines.




https://www.stratfor.com/sites/default/files/styles/wv_small/public/naval-update-040418.png?itok=O_LeFLUG


Carrier Strike Groups

The USS Carl Vinson CSG is underway in the Pacific Ocean for a western Pacific deployment.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt CSG is on a scheduled port visit to Singapore while underway in a deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet AOR supporting maritime security operations and conducting theater security cooperation efforts.
The USS John C. Stennis is underway in the Pacific Ocean conducting routine training.



More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/us-naval-update-map-april-5-2018

[Zippyjuan]

Thank you. Supports what I said. Vinson left Japan and is in Guam on their way towards San Diego (left Okinawa March 15th). Only one US Aircraft Carrier group in the South China Sea- the USS Roosevelt. Not the three carrier groups Zerohedge claims.

[Swordsmyth]

Thank you. Supports what I said. Vinson left Japan and is in Guam on their way towards San Diego.
It says it is on it's way to a "western pacific deployment", San Diego isn't in the western pacific.

[Zippyjuan]

It says it is on it's way to a "western pacific deployment", San Diego isn't in the western pacific.

They have been on a West Pac deployment for the past four months already. They departed January 4th. https://news.usni.org/2018/01/05/30428


But either way, Guam is not in the South China Sea like Zerohedge claims.

https://news.usni.org/2018/01/18/vinson-strike-group-fills-in-for-reagan


Carrier USS Ronald Reagan Maintenance Prompted Short Vinson Carrier Strike Group Deployment

With USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) tied-up in maintenance for a couple months, the Carl Vinson Strike Group is pinch-hitting in the Western Pacific on a short deployment less than a year from returning from the region.


USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is expected to enter the Western Pacific at a time the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier is moored in its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, for a planned maintenance period Navy officials say is expected to last a couple of months.

“The Reagan normally goes into maintenance between January and April every year,” said Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. “Usually the Navy tends to backfill with a San Diego or Bremerton (Wash.)-based carrier.”




For Vinson, which left San Diego on Jan. 5, this is the second time in 12 months the strike group will operate in the 7th Fleet area of operation in Western Pacific. The strike group includes Vinson, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) and guided-missile destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112).


But, based on where Vinson is on its operation and maintenance cycle, Clark said it wouldn’t necessarily be detrimental to send a carrier back out so close to its last deployment. The important question for the Navy to answer, Clark said, is whether they are adequately funded and is the space available to perform maintenance when Vinson returns to San Diego this Spring.

[Raginfridus]

They have been on a West Pac deployment for the past four months already. They departed January 4th. https://news.usni.org/2018/01/05/30428


But either way, Guam is not in the South China Sea like Zerohedge claims.

That would be the South China Morning Post reporting.

[Zippyjuan]

That would be the South China Morning Post reporting.

Their article seems to say that at some point the US has had three carrier groups (not at the same time) in the region. It notes that the Roosevelt was on its normal deployment and that the Vinson had already left the area following their visit to Vietnam.


The Pentagon has also sent three aircraft carrier battle groups to the Asia-Pacific region, with the USS Theodore Roosevelt flotilla arriving in Singapore on Monday for a regular port call after a deployment in the Middle East, according to earlier reports.


The USS Carl Vinson and its fleet have just paid a first visit to the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang since the end of the Vietnam war, a move Chinese military experts said was aimed at countering Beijing’s influence in the region.

It is Zerohedge's headline which claims they will be there at the same time.


US Deploys Three Carrier Battle Groups To Face-Off Against Chinese Aircraft Carrier In South China Sea

[Raginfridus]

Their article seems to say that at some point the US has had three carrier groups (not at the same time) in the region. It notes that the Roosevelt was on its normal deployment and that the Vinson had already left the area following their visit to Vietnam.





It is Zerohedge's headline which claims they will be there at the same time.Is Vietnam a client state of China?

Zerohedge like to fabricate crises.

[Swordsmyth]

Is Vietnam a client state of China?
Last I heard they were not on good terms.

[Raginfridus]

Last I heard they were not on good terms.We lost the war but won Nam.

[Swordsmyth]

We lost the war but won Nam.
If only we would apply that lesson elsewhere and start the pullouts.

[XNavyNuke]

Carriers haven't had consistent six month deployments since the 90's. Current cycle has deployments lasting eight to nine months. A WestPac deployment can take a CVBG anywhere from the Bering Straights, to the Tasmanian Sea, and "west" to the Persian Gulf.

XNN