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US to deploy 5 aircraft carriers in western Pacific in show of strength to China
- Unprecedented increase in naval power to the region is intended as a signal to Washington’s allies and rivals, especially Beijing, analysts said
- Washington wants to reassure its partners that it remains committed to Indo-Pacific, despite conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East
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The US is likely to deploy nearly half of its aircraft carriers in the western Pacific this year, in a signal of deterrence against the increasing military activity in the region by China and North Korea, analysts said.
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Three US aircraft carriers are already operating in the western Pacific Ocean, with two more on the way. Their arrival will mark the first time that five of the 11-strong carrier contingent have operated in the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln – part of the US Navy’s Pacific Fleet – was spotted heading out of its home port in San Diego, California and was sailing towards the western Pacific as of February 5, according to the US Naval Institute’s Fleet and Marine Tracker.
The USS George Washington is also expected to be deployed in the region to replace the USS Ronald Reagan, which will be relocating from Yokosuka, Japan for maintenance at the Puget Sound naval shipyard in Washington.
The USS George Washington was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be deployed to Japan, where it served from 2008-15 before it was relieved by the Ronald Reagan for the midlife refuel of its two reactors, as well as repairs, upgrades and modernisation.
In addition to the USS Ronald Reagan, the USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt were stationed in Guam and Hawaii, respectively on Monday and are expected to stay in the western Pacific until April and July.
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