The US Navy is getting back on its feet and three US Navy carriers are in the Indo Pacific, and a sign to Beijing the US Navy is ready to support America's interests in the region.
Since the start of the coronavirus, this is the first massing of three aircraft carrier and their carrier strike groups that demonstrate to China. The US Navy has bounced back in the South China Sea in times that are critical for the US Navy to show China how much power it can muster, said a report by the Associated Press.
Before this operation, China sent the Liaoning and Shandong for exercises.
As China puts a stranglehold on Hong Kong's autonomy, its response to the coronavirus outbreak like bullying and creating footholds in the SCS has Washington worried. As unprecedented response amidst a tension, along with its three aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, fighters, and support craft are in the Indo-Pacific for spring patrols to combat militarization of the region.
Bonnies Glaser said that the Chinese have mentioned that the US was unprepared for COVID-19, but the current US Navy effort should tell Beijing to think otherwise. Another is the Chinese will say it is a provocation, and US support for its Asian allies is what causes instability not China's actions, says Business Standard.
While blame for the lop-sided response for COVID-19 in the US was placed on Trump, China was called for its later warning. Another is the move by the US administration to ban students with People's Liberation Army links from entering, which includes the Three US Navy aircraft carriers deployed.
US Naval power and the Indo-Pacific has three patrolling carrier strike groups
Indo-Pacific has three carrier strike groups with only enough carriers that are in repair, visiting, training or are dispatched on different missions all over the globe.
The growing Chinese threat in the South China Sea is the top concern of U.S. national defence strategy for now. In the Pentagon, officials have arrayed resources and military assets to oppose the growing military and economic influence of China.
According to Rear Adm. Stephen Koehler, director of operations at Indo-Pacific Command, he said to show the Chinese what they are up against is part of their contest to the projection. The US Navy must be visible to let Beijing know that they are there to win.
Koehler added to the interview with The Associated Press in Hawaii, that China is digging in the South China Sea by adding missile emplacements and electronic countermeasures to these islands. But the US Navy has been conducting FONOPS, with increased operations with its allies, but China remains unperturbed, in Los Angeles Times.
He added that China has aircraft at Fiery Cross Reef at the Spratly's and flying them.
Carrier Strike Groups in Operations
Three carrier strike groups are in operation in the Indo-Pacific, one of them is the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Philippine Sea close to Guam. USS Nimitz is in the Pacific of the US West Coast, and finally, the USS Ronald Reagan left its Japanese port in the Philippine Sea near Japan as one of the biggest deployments, confirmed by Time.
After several ships got docked, the US Navy had made steps to follow preventing viral breakouts, and keep them working despite the ongoing pandemic, Rear Adm. Jim Kirk said there were no COVID-19 cases since then.
Koehler said the three US Navy aircraft carriers and their carrier strike groups will not always be in the Indo-Pacific.
