At least five U.S. aircraft carriers are set to be deployed in the western Pacific this year.
The display of naval power, accounting for nearly half of the country's 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, is a clear reminder to Beijing, which is rapidly expanding its own military footprint, that it is not alone.
The Nimitz-class carriers, each nearly 1,100 feet long and capable of carrying around 90 aircraft, are also a signal to allies of Washington's resolve to step up its presence in a region. Hot spots in the East and South China seas, as well as Taiwan, have the potential to spark a wider conflict.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was seen sailing from her home port of San Diego as early as February 5, U.S. Naval Institute News cited ship trackers as saying.
The Carl Vinson and Theodore Roosevelt are already operating in the region—the former in the vicinity of Hawaii and the latter fresh from a port call in Guam on February 6.
Both ships participated in four days of joint exercises with Japanese warships in the Philippine Sea late last month. Images showed a Chinese warship keeping tabs on the drills not far away.
Meanwhile, the only forward-deployed American supercarrier, the Ronald Reagan, is at dock in Yokosuka, Japan. The vessel returned in November from half a year of patrols and is slated to leave in the coming months for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for maintenance.
The Ronald Reagan's place at the heart of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet will be filled by the George Washington, bringing the carrier count to five.
Newsweek reached out for comment to the U.S. 7th Fleet and the Chinese Foreign Ministry via emailed written requests.
The presence of so many flattops coincides with China's yearslong territorial disputes with U.S. partners like Japan and the Philippines along the so-called first island chain.
China continues to pressure Taiwan with frequent warplane sorties near the midline of the narrow Taiwan Strait. Beijing has also been strategically deploying warships around Taiwan, which it has vowed to someday annex—by force if necessary.
Chinese coast guard ships intercept Philippine ships and attempt to block them from contested features in the South China Sea.
The China Coast Guard also continues its regular patrols near the Beijing-claimed but Tokyo-controlled Senkaku Islands.
U.S. officials have said an attack on Japanese or Philippine assets in either of these contentious areas would trigger American military involvement, according to Washington's security commitments to the allies.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more
