The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is now operating in the South China Sea, according to Pentagon imagery, while several U.S. Navy ships docked in Singapore over the Christmas period.
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is conducting flight operations in the South China Sea, according to a caption on a Pentagon-released image.
The Carl Vinson CSG comprises of carrier Carl Vinson with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59) and destroyers USS Sterett (DDG-104) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110).
The carrier strike group is expected to make a port call in Southeast Asia soon, although it is not clear which country it will call. Carrier port calls are highly sought after among U.S. embassies due to the visits enabling embassies to showcase the United States and further promote engagements with the government of the country via activities with the docked carrier.
The CSG is supported by three CMV-22Bs after NAVAIR lifted restrictions. The three CMV-22Bs are from Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, Detachment Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF), which is part of CVW-5, assigned to carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73). GW is currently in port, and the VRM-30 detachment is now supporting the Carl Vinson CSG. The CMV-22Bs have been sighted flying in and out of Singapore this week with a flight on Thursday to Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang, Malaysia.
USNI News learned that a number of U.S. ships are docked in Singapore over the Christmas period, among them include destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG-77), part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, currently docked at Sembawang port, while the majority of the strike group, including carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) returned from deployment. O’Kane and destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106) were retained for operations in the Middle East.
Submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39), fleet oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO-194) and special operations forces support ship MV Carolyn Chouest are docked around Sembawang, while expeditionary support base USS John L. Canley (ESB-6) is said to be docked at Changi Naval Base. Royal Navy forward deployed offshore patrol vessel HMS Tamar (P-233) also docked in Sembawang during the Christmas period.
On Tuesday, PLAN amphibious assault ship CNS Hainan (31) and frigates CNS Hengyang (568) and CNS Liuzhou (573) docked into Tanjung Priok port, North Jakarta, Indonesia, according to a Wednesday release by the Indonesian Navy’s Main Naval Base III Jakarta.
The PLAN ships visit for four days before resuming their tasking, according to the release. China’s Ministry of National Defense has not issued any statements on the deployment of Hainan and its escorts.
PLAN ships have also made a number of transits past Japan while returning to the East China Sea, according to Japan Joint Staff Office (JSO) reports.
A surface action group consisting of PLAN destroyer CNS Qiqihar (121), frigates CNS Wuhu (539) and CNS Handan (579) and fleet oiler CNS Dongping Hu (902) were sighted around 2 p.m. on Dec. 19 sailing west in an area 31 miles northeast of the island of Tanegashima and from Dec. 19-20 sailed west through the Osumi Strait to enter the East China Sea, according to a Friday JSO release. JMSDF multipurpose support ship JS Genkai (AMS-4304) along with a JMSDF P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Fleet Air Wing 1 based at JMSDF Kanoya Air Base on the main island of Kyushu shadowed the PLAN ships, according to the release.
Around 6 a.m. Sunday, PLAN frigates CNS Huaibei (516), CNS Hebi (534) and CNS Ma’anshan (525) were sighted sailing north in an area 62 miles east of Miyako Island and subsequently sailed northwest in the waters between Okinawa and Miyako Island to enter the East China Sea, according to a Monday JSO release. Fleet oiler JS Towada (AOE-422) and a JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA of Fleet Air Wing 5 based at Naha Air Base, Okinawa shadowed the PLAN frigates, according to the release.
The JMSDF sighted PLAN Dongdiao-class surveillance ship Yuhengxing (798) at 6 p.m. Monday sailing north in an area 74 miles northeast of Miyako Island, according to a Tuesday JSO release. Yuhengxing then sailed northwest in the waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa to enter the East China Sea. The PLAN surveillance ship had sailed southeast in the waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa on Dec. 8, according to the release. Minesweeper JS Shishijima (MSC-691) and a JMSDF P-3C Orion MPA of Fleet Air Wing 5 shadowed the PLAN surveillance ship.
