Three US aircraft carriers conduct joint exercises as President Trump visits Asia

US officials confirm three aircraft carrier strike groups will conduct joint exercises in the Western Pacific while President Trump visits Asia.

Three US aircraft carrier strike groups conduct joint exercises in 2007. Photo: USNI

The aircraft carriers USS Nimitz, USS Ronald Reagan and USS Theodore Roosevelt and their accompanying warships will conduct joint exercises in the Western Pacific in the coming days, Reuters quoted US officials as saying.

US officials did not disclose the exact time and location of the exercise. The Pentagon and the US Navy declined to comment. Washington has not held joint exercises between three aircraft carrier strike groups in the Asia region since 2007.

This will be a show of force during US President Donald Trump's first visit to Asia, where the North Korea issue will be a key topic in meetings between leaders.

The large-scale exercises demonstrate the US military’s ability to deploy forces quickly, a factor the Trump administration has emphasized as North Korea accelerates its development of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Washington typically deploys up to two aircraft carriers near Asia, with the presence of three at once seen as a move to reassure allies.

President Trump is stepping up his tough rhetoric against North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs during his visit to Asia. At a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on November 6, Trump reaffirmed that "the era of strategic patience is over" with Pyongyang.

The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) believes that North Korea only needs a few more months to complete an ICBM model carrying a nuclear warhead capable of covering US territory, a scenario that Mr. Trump is trying every way to prevent.

US Defense Secretary James Mattis affirmed that Washington prioritizes a diplomatic solution to end Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, and affirmed that this option is most effective "when backed by formidable military force".

According to VNE