Posted on 03/18/2022 8:35:55 AM PDT by blam
Within hours prior to the Xi-Biden call which is now in progress, China sent an aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait on Friday in what’s being seen as a message to the West. “The timing of the Shandong’s movements, being so close to the US-China President’s call, was described as provocative by the source,” Reuters described.
“Around 10:30 a.m. the CV-17 appeared around 30 nautical miles to the southwest of Kinmen, and was photographed by a passenger on a civilian flight,” the source told Reuters of the pass-through which was also confirmed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense.
Via The National Interest
Taipei said it knows the “full grasp” of China’s actions in the strait, while giving no details – perhaps not wanting to add fuel to an “incident” amid the Xi-Biden phone call.
The vessel has been identified as the Shandong carrier, and reports later revealed that it was shadowed during its movements in the strait by the American destroyer USS Ralph Johnson.
A US Navy spokesman confirmed its vessel “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit March 17 (local time) through international waters in accordance with international law.”
Beijing quickly downplayed that there was anything significant to the timing of the sail through:
China’s defense ministry told Reuters it was a “routine training schedule,” although Reuter’s source called the move “provocative” as it was so close to Biden’s call with Xi.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian asserted: “We should not associate this with the communication between the heads of state of China and the United States. You may think it is too sensitive. What is sensitive is you, not the Taiwan Strait.”
China’s Shandong aircraft carrier and a Type 052D destroyer spotted heading to Taiwan Strait on March 17. pic.twitter.com/u8r3IfQzyK
— Duan Dang (@duandang) March 18, 2022
Indeed, what might drive headlines in the West is more likely seen by China as “routine” and legitimate transit through its own waters close to its coast – from the mainland’s perspective at least.
The Chicoms are just waiting to see how the Uke war turns out.
I bet there was a US submarine in the vicinity as well. This is good for us to get close up radar and sonar signatures of potential future targets.
In an age of guided missiles and satellites the aircraft carrier has become extremely vulnerable. In a war between America and Russia or China the carriers will be the first targets.
The demented idiot will surrender.
>>> A US Navy spokesman confirmed its vessel “conducted a routine Taiwan Strait transit March 17 (local time) through international waters in accordance with international law.” <<<
And to be fair the Chinese ships and her escorts did precisely the same thing.
“The Chicoms are just waiting to see how the Uke war turns out.”
They’re already part of it. They were part of it before it started:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/us/politics/russia-ukraine-china.html
wy69
Only one destroyer as an escort?
“In a war between America and Russia or China the carriers will be the first targets.”
Isn’t it sad that the only Russian carrier is so useless that no one will waste the effort to destroy it?
“I bet there was a US submarine in the vicinity as well. This is good for us to get close up radar and sonar signatures of potential future targets.”
Yup.
The Japanese intended to make them their first target in the attack on Pearl Harbor on 12-7-1941.
“reports”
Uh-huh. I suppose that pic is evidence?
Go ahead: Make your case.
/s
In the wake of this virus BS and in the midst of this Ukraine BS, your radar ought to be turned on.
Close...order will be:
1. Space (satellites)
2. Carriers
3. A blazing free-for-all....
Xi and the CCP showing off their antiquated ski-jump carrier whose operations are very limited - mostly to defense.
If the US commanders are smart the carriers will be out of harms way but close enough to be of use or make use of their air groups. Our LA attack boats would have a field day if-if they were turned loose on the Chicom navy. The planes on our carriers just do not have the legs for long range operations at this point.
Surface ships making dashes in close enough to launch cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles along with sub launched missiles would be the way to batter a chicom invasion fleet or carrier battle group.
The Russia’s aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is a floating oil fire. It burns Mazut, a heavy, low quality fuel oil.
It amazes me that with all their nuclear sub technology they would not power their aircraft carrier with nuclear reactor.
Well its still in dry dock and is not expected to sail until 2024 at the earliest.
Why would any one want to sink it? Because under the flight deck are 192 9K330 TOR missiles in TELs ready to fire, supposedly.
“Because under the flight deck are 192 9K330 TOR missiles in TELs ready to fire, supposedly.”
When the ship is alongside the munitions would be safely stored ashore. Maybe the bunkers might be a target but the ship? Naww. It’s unlikely that the ship will ever set to sea again under her own power.
Having a carrier and being able to carry out carrier ops under combat conditions are two separate things. leadership problems aside, the US Navy has over a century of conducting successful carrier combat ops. The Chinese don’t even have one generation of knowledge in carrier ops, let alone doing them under combat conditions. I am not saying it is not a threat. I am saying that even under the umbrella of land based forces, it’s probably little more than a floating target for a US battle group. If it ventures from littoral waters and away from the mainland and in to blue waters, it’ll become a smoking wreck about 5 minutes after shooting starts.
I read (I think in Military News) somewhere that the Chinese and Russian aircraft carriers are designed for an aircraft that they do not yet have capable of launching and recovering. It is thought that China's most advance fighter, that is intended to be used on their most expensive military target, is to heavy to be loaded with ordinance to take off. AND, the airframe is insufficient to recover the "production" version of the plane. If I recall correctly, each plane has to be modified structurally to take a "tailhook" and that adds weight it can't afford. There was even a speculation that the intent of their carrier is to launch planes with minimal defensive capabilities (air to air) and have them land on the ground.
Basically, it's strategic value for regional projection of power is negligible.
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