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Five Chinese Navy Ships Are Operating in Bering Sea off Alaska – WSJ

Five Chinese navy ships are currently operating in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, marking the first time the U.S. military has seen them in the area. The officials have been tracking the movements in recent days of three Chinese combat ships, a replenishment vessel and an amphibious landing…

Five Chinese navy ships are currently operating in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, marking the first time the U.S. military has seen them in the area. The officials have been tracking the movements in recent days of three Chinese combat ships, a replenishment vessel and an amphibious landing ship after observing them moving toward the Aleutian Islands, which are split between U.S. and Russian control. “This would be a first in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands,” one defense official said of the Chinese ships, which have been operating in international waters. “I don’t think we’d characterize anything they’re doing as threatening,” the official said.

Source: Five Chinese Navy Ships Are Operating in Bering Sea off Alaska – WSJ

Like I said on the podcast, 20 years ago, the Chinese navy was a joke, but today, it’s a respectable, capable blue water fleet. Jason also noted that we need to pay attention to how much they invest in fleet logistics ships, such as the one above.

There’s nothing particularly sinister about these operations, but China is also quite clearly sending a message, timing the deployment to coincide with Obama’s visit to Alaska.

It will be interesting to see how long they remain on station.

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  1. Diogenes of NJ

    Where are the Chinese subs operating WSJ?

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  2. Stormy

    As it was stated, nothing particularly sinister about their operating in international waters. The big question: What, if any, USN (or heck, USCG) assets are shadowing them? It’s one thing to come into our neighborhood and look around. It’s quite another to have someone in the neighborhood and not have eyes on them at all times. Ideally, we’d screw with them the same way they screw with us in SCS/ECS. Turnabout is fair play, after all.

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  3. xbradtc

    I’d hope there’s an SSN trailing, or at least the occasional MPA flypast.

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  4. Quartermaster

    We don’t know yet if the Chinese Navy is a joke or not. pretty ships doesn’t mean they are effective. Until they see combat, we won’t know.

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  5. ultimaratioregis

    We are becoming increasingly certain about our Navy, however. And it ain’t good.

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  6. timactual

    ” we need to pay attention to how much they invest in fleet logistics ships”

    And I am sure those amphibious landing ships (plural) they have been building are for defensive purposes and humanitarian relief efforts only.

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  7. Diogenes of NJ

    xbradtc – I don’t think that we have the SSNs to spare for this kind of mission. I’d settle for a wake homing torpedo.

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  8. Quartermaster

    Alas, you are all to correct.

    Liked by 1 person

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