The USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike groups conduct exercises in the Philippine Sea in January.
The South China Morning Post on February 14 quoted analysts as saying that the US is likely to deploy nearly half of its aircraft carriers to the Western Pacific this year, in a signal of deterrence against increased military activity in the region by China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
There are currently three aircraft carriers operating in the Western Pacific, with two more on the way. This is expected to be the first time that five of the US Navy's 11 aircraft carriers will be operating in the region at the same time.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is leaving its home port in San Diego, California, and moving to the Western Pacific, according to the US Naval Institute.
The USS George Washington is also expected to be deployed to the region to replace the USS Ronald Reagan, which will leave Yokosuka port in Japan for maintenance in Washington state (USA).
The USS George Washington was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployed to Japan and served from 2008-2015 before being replaced by the USS Ronald Reagan for mid-life refueling of its two reactors, as well as for repairs, upgrades and modernization.
In addition, the two aircraft carriers USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt, based in Guam and Hawaii, are expected to stay in the Western Pacific until April and July, respectively.
Last month, the USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt strike groups conducted exercises with Japan in the Philippine Sea. The exercise was designed to “enhance maritime interoperability and readiness,” according to the US Navy’s 7th Fleet.
Also in January, the USS Carl Vinson conducted exercises with South Korea and Japan in the East China Sea, after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile.
According to expert Brian Hart at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (USA), aircraft carriers are the most tangible assets of the US military and dispatching many aircraft carriers to the region sends a very clear signal to opponents.
“With the war in Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the US military wants to signal that it can handle those situations while still focusing on the priority area of the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Researcher Collin Koh at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (Singapore) noted that tensions in the region have not yet eased.
“The increased deployment of aircraft carriers, as well as a series of military interactions with close allies such as Japan, appear to be aimed at both reassuring allies and partners in the region and deterring adversaries such as China and North Korea,” Koh said.
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