The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group joined forces in the South China Sea to conduct Expeditionary Strike Force operations, say the U.S. Navy.
Ships and aircraft from both strike groups coordinated operations in international waters and conducted multi-domain naval integration exercises in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“Combining the capabilities of the carrier strike group with those of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group sharpens our tactical skills and demonstrates our continued dedication to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine.
“The combined Navy and Marine Corps team has been a stabilizing force in this region for more than a century and will continue to support all who share in the collective vision of peace, stability, and freedom of the seas.”
According to the U.S. Navy news release:
“The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59).
The Makin Island ARG is comprised of three ships; amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22); and detachments from the “Wildcards” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, “Scorpions” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, Tactical Air Control Squadron (VTC) 11, and Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5.”
Hope it keeps the Chinese at bay and think twice
Be great if there’s a US CSG in the SCS when QE goes there and they link up. That would be quite a sight, and a powerful message, especially if there are a large number of international ships involved.
Makin ARG was recently in the Gulf. One of the 2 LPDs attached to the group along with a Tico, had a huge COVID issue and spent a good 3 weeks alongside while they contained and isolated the crews. So, because I am bored, the weather is hot and windy (Which means lots of dust so I cannot paint the hull of the ship I am working on) I will throw this cat amongst the pigeons… A USN CVN and its being escorted by 1 Tico and 3 ABs , no doubt a sub is there as well and it… Read more »
He pulls the pin and rolls in the grenade through the open door…..
Covers his ears, leaves his mouth open….BANG…then runs away and hides giggling to himself…
What do you expect …its Virtual Friday tomorrow and ramadan has started so I cannot get a beer except at home!
And for info there are currently 2 ABs alongside from the Eisenhower CVN group which means she is now sailing around in the NAG with only 2 ABs and a Tico as escort!
Shock Horror!
haha…..fire starter.
The USNI link below is usually pretty good in tracking the USN fleet and gives a good break down of the assets involved.
https://news.usni.org/2021/04/12/usni-news-fleet-and-marine-tracker-april-12-2021
It is a good resource. So is my drive to work to see what’s in on the jetty.
2 x ABS from the USN, BDF OHP Frigate and the former RN FI patrol boat, CHID who is a bit battered and not going anywhere for a while and an assortment of other MCMVs and PCs
I’m genuinely envious.
Well said mate, and it’s certainly a reality check for those you enjoy putting down our RN, and playing fantasy fleets. Our QE task group is a fantastic achievement for all involved, especially against the backdrop of covid. And we are still in very early day’s of carrier strike. It’s a huge undertaking to get these vessels, crews, aircraft working together as a integrated force. And in 10 years time it will be on another level again in capability. I’m envious of those deploying in May, what a fantastic opportunity for those young matelots. 🇬🇧👍
It does seem light on escorts for such a force. I would’ve thought the amphibious group would have more protection.
The fact remains that with a UK GSG deployed elsewhere, the UK has little to protect it given all our other commitments & ships in refit etc. Allies are always welcome, but we must be ready do go alone when needed, without undue risk.
Off topic, looks like the Taliban are being given Afghanistan now the US & UK are pulling out.
We can deploy the carrier task group without robbing escorts from other standing taskings. And even with a considerable amount of the force in refits and life extension refits.
I will nibble at this GB, not sure I entirely agree with you on this! 1 X Tyco and 3xAB v 2×23 and 2×45, the subs pretty much cancel each other out, so just leaves ships. 4 US ships all do strike/asw/aaw. RN ships 2 do asw(limited aaw) 2 do aaw, none do strike! We have more dedicated asw helicopters via our ships, but, they have Asroc! We lose one T23, that’s 50% of our asw capability gone, the US lose one AB, that’s only 25% lost. Bit simplistic I know, the US ships are multi purpose units and armed… Read more »
I did say surface, air and subsurface and specifically did not mention land strike which UK vessels are very lacking in. However multi purpose ABs are jack of all trades and masters of none. They are exceptionally bad at asw and I mean bad. They are comparable to 1980s era RN T22 B2 and B 3 In the AAW sphere they mostly shoot 2 semi active homer AAW missiles at targets and need to illuminate a target. T45 and T23 have active homers. For tactical ballistic missile defence certain ABS do have the edge but not all, only a limited… Read more »
Take your point ref an old design, with all the limitations that brings, especially when it comes to noise reduction, ABs were always noisy units, we would hear them coming over the horizon, bit like the T45 when it first came out. Can’t comment on their competence at any given discipline, but, they always had a good go during JW. I agree that our setup appears better given we are not really jack’s of all trades, just a little of full specialist units. As good as T45s are in the AAW role, they were sold woefully short on the mainframe… Read more »
The Chinese certainly have been also been ”Makin’ Islands” in the region…haha!
[applauds]
Well that’ll certainly keep the peace.
Further reply. At the moment all the initiatives have been from the Chinese side. We should start playing their game.
Definition of irony, prattling on about tanks and lawns whilst rattling on about how people from North America should start invading things 1000s miles away in the China sea.
Some chap a long, long time ago told a story about an eye, a mote and a plank. Some things never change.
Roll over on your back then Beethoven. Mr Hitler springs to mind – nobody stopped him until it was too late.
Beethoven? Deaf and yet still wrote some of the finest music humanity has ever acheived, still acclaimed two centuries later across the globe. He could be on his front, back, side or end frankly, history has already judged him a legend. You on the other hand? Well I suppose if you like a hammer, and I mean you really really really like that hammer, on a “this is my hammer, there are many like it…” kind of level, then everything can really look like a nail and just like that red “Dont Push” button on the wall, the compulsion to… Read more »
My dear friend Rogbob. I expect this little back and forward could go on for some time. You obviously are an appeaser -prepared to look the other way – a 1930’s kind of person I think. Would you make a stand for anything? Perhaps if you were a Filipino fisherman being bullied out of your livelihood by Chinese bullies might make you change your mind. Why do you contribute to this website which gives the low down on lots of really good hammers?
I certainly intend to keep my hammer.
Go on for some time? I very much doubt it, boredom will soon set in and that paint won’t dry itself. Plus I doubt you’ve any more 1930/Hitler parallels left, although there is always the ground under the barrel to search. Obviously a historical parallel less tediously wrong would be nice, but I’m probably expecting too much.
Wrt hammers, I’m reminded of a qoute “there are many ways to skin a cat, but few good reasons”.
2nd World War – 40 million dead, gas chambers etc because of the likes of gutless people like you. Plenty of ground under the barrel to search for there.
I’m still keeping my hammer.
Yeah, I figured you’d be at the bottom of the barrel. Good luck wielding your special hammer from there, I’m sure it looks really big too.
Actually I feel honoured that someone with such guts as yourself is on this forum. Truly a priviledge and doesnt come across as sad posturing at all.
Mr Roger Baker I presume alias Rogbob. From your other posts on this website you seem to be very interested and knowledgeable in hammers. Why?
Who? wtf? Are you seriously so stupid that aka Highlander, “there can be only one” set of beliefs or something? Ffs, crawl out of your barrel, use the hammer if you need to. Given your history appears to be ww2 and quite literally nothing else, I’m sure you already know that in 1945 it was the service vote who had fought the war, including people like my grandfather who liberated places with the chambers that you just think are something you can use to try and insult those that disagree with you; that ousted Churchill. Those are the giants upon… Read more »
What a mixed up rant. I have certainly rattled your can! Cheerio – over and out.
“Over and out”. well, that answers the “have you any actual military service?” Question.
It truly is that cowards and idiots always have the biggest mouths when it comes to wanting to start wars.
Polar Icebreakers, what on earth for? Surely they’re not looking to pop round to Blighty via the Northern passage for a cuppa!26.03.2021 U.S. admiral warns China could invade Taiwan in next six years ‘Unfavourable’ situation in the US “Davidson also cautioned against the expansion of China’s military assets in the region that according to the top US admiral creates an “unfavourable” situation for the United States and reduces the level of deterrence. He said, “We are accumulating risk that may embolden China to unilaterally change the status quo before our forces may be able to deliver an effective response.” “Already… Read more »
And yet they are still a regional power, and a very long way from global deployments with useful aircraft carrier’s and nuclear submarines. Don’t write off the Americans just yet.
Yet what could be more clearly the Chinese becoming a global power than its huge expansion of its fleet & deploying its wealth globally as leverage? I think they’re far beyond regional power right now. Freedom & democracy for them are just targets to undermine.
They have a huge navy, but they can’t deploy it far beyond there own region. They lack the key enables, like modern useful carrier’s, and nuclear submarines
and a global support chain. Allied nations will have 29 vessels capable of putting 5th gen F35 capability to sea. China has nothing like that. They certainly could not do what we are about to do with the QE task group.
Sends American forces there to risk American lives but China Joe puts a freeze on all further defensive military sales to Taiwan to appease his Chicom masters. Ugh
China’s window of opportunity on Taiwan is now. The US currently has to assess it’s degree of response to the defence of Europe, in the immediate shape of Ukraine, and also the remarkably similar (to the extent of in-concert?) marked increase in Chinese aggression towards the PRC. This all whilst national economies are impaled by Covid and a new US administration straight way sorely tested. America has a long-standing sympathy for Taiwan, bordering on affection, which probably outweighs the nevertheless genuine concern they share with us for the Ukraine, a new democracy. Under the above scenario, the States are likely… Read more »
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-04-07/china-taiwan-conflict-could-come-sooner-rather-than-later?sref=YNlUDsaj
Article from Bloomberg supporting what you say. Matsu and Quemoy just off the coast of China may well be the first test of Biden’s resolve.
Thanks, there are similarities. Hardly surprising since the main difference between politicians and the rest of us is they have their hands on the levers that can make the obvious actual. As an aside, it does seem a historical truism that political dictatorships i.e. simplistic option merchants, are so concerned with maintaining their status quo that rigidity sets in, such that they eventually fall behind freer societies. It’s true of Russia and will be true of China at the current rate (whose general population are among the world’s natural ‘free enterprisers’, ironically). Perhaps the ultimate example of that over the… Read more »