Chinese Surveillance Ships Now in Philippine Sea, PLAN Carrier Transits Taiwan Strait

October 25, 2024 5:24 PM
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People’s Liberation Army Navy Dongdiao class surveillance ships have sailed past Japan this week into the Philippine Sea according to Japan Joint Staff Office releases. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense reported that the Chinese Liaoning Carrier Strike Group has sailed north through the Taiwan Strait. In other developments, the U.S. and Australia carried out joint naval drills in the Strait of Malacca while Russia wrapped up naval drills with Myanmar on Thursday.

The Dongdiao-class surveillance ship Tianshuxing (795) was sighted sailing east in an area 62 miles west of the island of Amami Oshima before sailing into the Philippine Sea, Japanese officials said on Tuesday. The release stated that Japan Maritime Self Defense Force frigate JS Mogami (FFM-1), fleet oiler JS Towada (AOE-422) along with a JMSDF P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of Fleet Air Wing 5 based at Naha Air Base on Okinawa shadowed the PLAN ship.

On Thursday PLAN Dongdiao class surveillance ship Beijixing (791) was sighted sailing east in an area 55 miles west of Amami Oshima before entering the Philippine Sea. Mogami and training support ship JS Tenryu (ATS-4203) shadowed Beijixing, according to the release.

On Wednesday, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense said aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning (16), which was leading several PLAN ships sailed through the waters near Pratas Island and continued north to the Taiwan Strait. The MND highlight the number and identities of the PLAN ships with Liaoning nor issued further updates on the carrier’s movements. China’s Ministry of National Defense has not issued any statements on the Liaoning’s activities since its participation in the Joint Sword-2024B exercise on Oct. 14 so it is unclear if Liaoning is returning to its home base at Yuchi Naval Base, Qingdao or continuing operations in the waters north of the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) and Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH153) conducted bilateral operations in the Strait of Malacca from Sunday to Wednesday according to a Thursday U.S. Navy release.

Over four days, the ships engaged in a formation sailing exercise, an air defense exercise, maritime communications training, personnel cross-decks and visit, board, search and seizure drills, according to the release, which also stated that the two ships took part in exercise Malabar 2024 that was held earlier in October in India, “This exercise further builds on our existing interoperability and combined readiness we have with the Royal Australian Navy,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, in the release, “Every time we operate together, we strengthen our capabilities and shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”.

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Meanwhile, a Russian Navy surface action group consisting of corvettes RFS Gromkiy (335), RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339) and RFS Rezkiy (343) along with fleet oiler Pechenga wrapped up on Friday a naval drill with the Myanmar Navy called Marumex 2024 which began on Tuesday and takes place in the Andaman Sea. The Myanmar navy participated with amphibious landing dock UMS Moattama (1501), frigate UMS Sinphyushin (F14), corvette UMS Tabinshwehti (773) and one submarine, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The release stated that the ships will carry out combat exercises within the framework of scenarios on air and mine defense of a group of ships at sea, as well as on the release of a ship seized by suspected terrorists, “The main objective of the exercise is to comprehensively develop and strengthen naval cooperation between the countries, jointly counter global threats and ensure the safety of civilian shipping in the Asia-Pacific region.”, read the release.

The Russian Navy surface action group will carry out an exercise called Orruda 2024 with the Indonesian Navy in Surabaya, Java from Nov. 4-8, announced an Indonesian Navy release on Wednesday. This will mark the first time the two navies conduct a bilateral drill together according to the release. The Indonesian Navy will deploy frigate KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai (332) and corvette KRI Frans Kaisiepo (368) while the three corvettes and tanker of the Russian surface action group will be joined by rescue tug Alatau.

Alatau is currently accompanying submarine RFS Ufa (B-588) which is headed towards the Russian Far East, the submarine and tug pulled into Kochi, India on Monday, according to a release by the Russian Embassy in India.

Meanwhile on Friday, Russian Navy destroyers RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548) and RFS Admiral Tributs (564) arrived home on Friday at their home port of Vladivostok. The two destroyers wrapped up a joint patrol with PLAN cruiser CNS Wuxi (104), destroyer CNS Xining (117), frigate CNS Linyi (547) and fleet oiler CNS Taihu (889) on Oct 17 with the arrival of the joint fleet at Qingdao, China, the two Russian ships then stayed there until Monday before departing for home. Japan tracked the passages of the ships from Tuesday to Wednesday with a JSO release on Wednesday stating that on Tuesday, the two destroyers together with fleet oiler Boris Butoma were sighted sailing northeast in an area 74 miles southwest of Tsushima and from Tuesday to Wednesday, the three ships sailed northeast through the Tsushima Strait to enter the Sea of Japan. Minesweeper JS Hirashima (MSC-601) monitored the Russian ships, according to the release.

Dzirhan Mahadzir

Dzirhan Mahadzir

Dzirhan Mahadzir is a freelance defense journalist and analyst based in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Among the publications he has written for and currently writes for since 1998 includes Defence Review Asia, Jane’s Defence Weekly, Navy International, International Defence Review, Asian Defence Journal, Defence Helicopter, Asian Military Review and the Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter.

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