The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Shandong Carrier Strike Group deployed out to the Philippine Sea for a second time this year, with Japan issuing a sighting report of the CSG’s presence Monday.
Carrier CNS Shandong (17), cruiser CNS Yan’an, destroyer CNS Zhanjiang (165) and frigate CNS Yuncheng were sighted 261 miles south of Miyako Island around 6 a.m. Monday. A map in the release shows the location being roughly in the vicinity of its past deployments to the Philippines Sea.
Japan Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer JS Akizuki (DD-115) shadowed the PLAN CSG. Shandong conducted flight operations with its embarked fighter jets and helicopters, according to the Japanese release.
Shandong previously deployed to the Philippine Sea between July 9-18 then returned to its homeport at Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island. Last year, the carrier deployed three times to the area. Its initial deployment was in April, when it operated for 19 days in the Philippine Sea, followed by a five-day deployment in the Philippine Sea in September. The third deployment, in October and November, to the Philippine Sea lasted 12 days.
The Shandong CSG arrived in the Philippine Sea at the same time as the Abraham Lincoln CSG left the area. The Lincoln CSG is heading to the Middle East as part of the ongoing U.S. response to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. On Sunday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the carrier strike group to accelerate its transit, although it will still take the ship up to seven to nine days weeks, USNI News reported.
On Friday, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) conducted a bilateral bilateral multi-large deck event (MLDE) in the Philippine Sea with the Italian Navy Cavour Carrier Strike Group.
The MDLE comprised of more than 7,500 U.S. and Italian sailors and Marines, was an opportunity to engage in joint operations, including enhanced maritime communication operations, air warfare operations and cross-deck flight operations to strengthen maritime integrated-at-sea operations and combat readiness, according to a Navy release.
“This was a great opportunity to operate with our close NATO Ally, Italy, in the Indo-Pacific. Our efforts are critical in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” said Rear Adm. Adan Cruz, commander, CSG 3, in the release. “Interoperability does not just happen, it is practiced and rehearsed across our teams to build the relations and connections necessary to successfully conduct an MLDE.”
Rear Adm. Giancarlo Ciappina, commander, Cavour CSG, said in the release that the activity was an excellent opportunity to enhance the two countries’ capabilities in multi-carrier operations, demonstrating the interoperability of the NATO Alliance.
“Conducting this type of activity is one of the strategic objectives of our operational deployment, ensuring security at sea and promoting economic prosperity through a free and open Indo Pacific,” Ciappina said.
Participating ships in the MDLE were carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and destroyers USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121) and the Cavour CSG made up of Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (550) and Italian frigate ITS Alpino (F594), according to the release.
On Sunday, the Cavour CSG arrived in Guam for a port visit before continuing to Japan, where it will conduct a number of exercises and engagements.
Marines Exercise with Korea
The 15th MEU and the Republic of Korea Marine Corps will participate together in a series of combined training events in the vicinity of Pohang, South Korea, starting Monday, according to a Marine Corps release.
Elements of the 15th MEU arrived aboard amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), and that the training will include a series of live-fire and non-live-fire events from infantry, artillery and aviation units, according to the release.
The Boxer ARG comprising of Boxer, Harpers Ferry and amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD-25) and embarked 15th MEU have been operating in a disaggregated construct, with Somerset deploying to the Indo-Pacific in January and joined by Harpers Ferry in April, while engineering issues pushed back Boxer’s planned April departure in to July. Somerset and its embarked 15th MEU elements wrapped up its seven-month deployment on Saturday with the ship’s return to San Diego.
While in U.S. 7th Fleet’s area of operation, Somerset and the 15th MEU conducted Exercise Cobra Gold 2024 in Sattahip, Thailand; Exercise Tiger Triumph 2024 in Visakhapatnam, India; Exercise Balikatan 2024 in the province of Palawan, Philippines; Cooperation Afloat and Readiness Training (CARAT) 2024 in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia; Exercise Tiger Strike 2024 in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia; and a marine aviation support activity (MASA) 2024 with a CH-53E Super Stallion detachment in Subic Bay, Philippines, according to a release . While in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area operations, Somerset and the 15th MEU participated in the Rim of the Pacific 2024 held on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, as its final stop before returning home to San Diego.
