US secretly deploys landing ship carrying F-35 to the Pacific
The US appears to have changed its strategy by quietly sending an amphibious assault ship equipped with F-35B fighters to the Pacific.
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F-35B fighter jets operate on the US amphibious ship USS America. Photo:Business Insider |
A Pentagon official recently confirmed that the amphibious assault shipThe Essex-class destroyer and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed San Diego on July 10, bound for the Western Pacific and the Middle East.Experts say the secret move to deploy warships equipped with stealth fighters marks a major change in the way the US deals with rivals like China and North Korea, according toBusiness Insider.
According to military expert Alex Lockie, the US Navy has a tradition of showing off the deployment of the F-35 fighter, a type of aircraft considered a revolution in air combat thanks to its stealth design and state-of-the-art control and sensor systems.. The deployment of F-35s is usually announced by Washington months in advance.
The US media has widely reported on the conversion of the USS Wasp into the first small aircraft carrier to carry F-35B fighters earlier this year. However, this journey to the Pacific ofThe USS Essex was kept secret until the last minute, showing a change in strategy by the Pentagon.
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| Amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2). |
According to observers, the US may want to keep secret the move to send forces to the Pacific to avoid provoking North Korea in the context of efforts to promote denuclearization negotiations with Pyongyang.. In addition, the Pentagon may also be concerned that the Chinese navy will move to harass or obstruct US warships.
At the end of June, the US also kept secret the deployment of the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier to patrol and protect freedom of navigation (FONOP) in the East Sea, with almost no prior announcement or comment.
The US regularly conducts FONOPs in the South China Sea to counter China’s excessive sovereignty claims and assert freedom of navigation in the region under international law. However, China always considers these patrols as “provocative actions” and continuously monitors, follows, and demands that US warships leave.
Analysts say the US's deployment of F-35B fighter jets and the USS Essex amphibious ship this time is intended to send a hidden message to China that Washington is indeed increasing pressure.
"By keeping the deployment of forces to the Pacific secret, the US can show that they are ready to deploy advanced military equipment to the region to deal with China with naval power, not news reports," expert Lockie emphasized.
