A Second Thomas Shoal resupply mission intercepted by China Coast Guard on Oct. 4, 2023. Philippine Coast Guard Photo
The Philippines conducted a successful resupply mission on Wednesday to its outpost on BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57), grounded at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, despite China’s attempts at obstruction. Read More
JMSDF Photo
Japan plans to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles a year earlier, announced Japan Defense Minister Minoru Kihara on Wednesday during a press conference in Washington. Read More
Marine with the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment training at Barking Sands, Hawaii on Sept. 26, 2023. US Marine Corps Photo
The Marine Corps has wrapped up a joint exercise in Hawaii and is beginning a rotational force deployment to Southeast Asia, with both activities contributing to the implementation of the service’s Force Design 2030. Read More
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) underway on Sept. 29, 2023. Photo via X
This post has been updated with a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.
Carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) got underway on Friday after canceling its departure six times since Sept. 18. Meanwhile, the Navy’s two Ghost Fleet unmanned surface vessel prototypes, which pulled into Yokosuka on Sept. 18, carried out drills on Wednesday with a U.S. Littoral Combat Ship and a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) frigate. Read More
Russian Navy cruiser RFS Varyag (011) and destroyer RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (543). Japan MOD photo
Over the past two weeks, the Russian Navy Pacific Fleet has been conducting drills in the Chukchi and Bering Seas and the Chukchi Peninsula of Eastern Siberia, some of which have been observed by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. Meanwhile, Royal Australian Navy ships have set out for a regional presence deployment to Southeast and Northeast Asia. Read More
The path of Chinese fighters flying near Taiwan. Taiwan MND
Chinese warships and military aircraft surged toward Taiwan in a record show of force on Monday, according to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. Read More
CNS Shandong (17). JMSDF Photo
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Shandong Carrier Strike Group returned to the South China Sea on Friday, according to a release by the Japanese Ministry of Defense. At the same time, five of the eight PLAN surface ships that had entered the Philippine Sea Monday via the Miyako Strait returned to the East China Sea Friday by the same route. Meanwhile, Western media outlets are reporting that Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu is under investigation for corruption and will likely be removed from office. Read More
A Taiwanese destroyer monitoring the People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17). Taiwan Ministry of Defense Photo
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong Carrier Strike Group is operating in the Philippine Sea, being shadowed separately by Republic of China Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyers, according to both countries. Read More
CNS Shandong (17) underway on Sept. 10, 2023. JMSDF Photo
Five months after it made its first deployment to the western Pacific, People’s Liberation Army Navy carrier CNS Shandong (17) is back conducting drills, according to Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. Also on Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported a total of eight PLAN ships transited the Miyako Strait to enter the Philippine Sea. Read More
HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341), JS Izumo (DDH-183) and USS Ralph Johnson underway in the East China Sea. JMSDF Photo
A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer shadowed U.S., Japanese and Canadian warships as they conducted a trilateral exercise in the East China Sea on Wednesday according to an report by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Meanwhile, on Friday, the Philippines successfully carried out a resupply mission to its outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, despite opposing actions by China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia ships. Read More
