U.S. Reminds China How ‘Real’ Aircraft Carriers Strike Groups Operate

[rangerrebew]

U.S. Reminds China How ‘Real’ Aircraft Carriers Strike Groups Operate
 
By
Paul Crespo
June 22, 2020
 
Official U.S. Navy Page from United States of America via Wikimedia Commons

Continuing its Pacific fleet show of force aimed at China, the US Navy this week is conducting its first dual aircraft carrier operational drills since 2018. After a months-long hiatus due to COVID-19, the US now has three carrier strike groups patrolling the Pacific.

China used the absence of US carriers in the region (other than the USS America amphibious assault ship with F-35 jets) to increase its menacing naval presence (RELATED: Major U.S. Naval Presence in Pacific Ruined China Narrative of Crippled U.S. Fleet).

China is also deploying its two new medium aircraft carriers in the South China Sea and around Taiwan and Japan (RELATED: China Quickly Launching New Amphibious Assault Aircraft Carriers).

https://americanactionnews.com/military/u-s-reminds-china-how-real-aircraft-carriers-strike-groups-operate-rs-pc/

[PeteS in CA]

According to a US Navy statement reported by Stars and Stripes, the USS Roosevelt and USS Nimitz strike groups plan to practice “air defense drills, sea surveillance, replenishments at sea, defense air combat training, long-range strikes, coordinated maneuvers and other exercises.” Unlike the Chinese People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and its limited new carriers, the US Navy has a long history of operating multiple super carrier strike groups as a combined force in the Pacific.

America class LHAs and Wasp class LHDs are probably more comparable to the Chinese "medium aircraft carriers" than the much more capable Nimitz class CVNs. So this was a see-ya-and-raise-ya move. America class LHAs are similar in displacement to the USNs late WW2 Midway class carriers and purpose-designed/built, unlike the WW2 Independence class CVLs, which were converted from light cruiser hulls. Being able to fly F-35s off the Americas and Wasps spread USN air power across a lot more decks.