East China Sea

Japanese Scrambled Fewer Fighters Against Foreign Aircraft Last Year, Says MoD

Russian and Chinese aircraft flight patterns in FY 2022. Japanese Ministry of Defense Photo.

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force carried out a total of 612 fighter scrambles against foreign aircraft by the end of the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2022, a decrease from a total of 785 scrambles in the same period for FY 2021, according to a report released Friday by the Joint Staff Office of Japan’s Ministry of Defense.

Of the scrambles for the FY 2022 period, which covers April 1 through Dec. 31, 75...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/20/japanese-scrambled-fewer-fighters-against-foreign-aircraft-last-year

PLAN Surface Action Group Operating in East China Sea; Japan and U.S. to Hold Security Talks

People’s Liberation Army Navy destroyer CNS Kaifeng (124). JSDF Photo

A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) surface action group and surveillance ship have returned to the East China Sea from the Pacific Ocean after operating there for the last few weeks.
On Monday at 11 p.m., three PLAN ships were sighted sailing northwest in an area 160 kilometers southeast of Yonaguni island, according to a Wednesday news release from Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO) of the Ministry of Defense. Yonaguni...

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/06/plan-surface-action-group-operating-in-east-china-sea-japan-and-u-s-to-hold-security-talks

VIDEO: Chinese Navy Fighter Flew Within 20 Feet of U.S. Air Force Plane Over South China Sea

Chinese J-11 intercepts a U.S. Air Forces R-135 over the South China Sea. US Indo-Pacific Photo

A Chinese Navy jet intercepted a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane in an incident over the South China Sea last week, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Thursday.

“On Dec. 21 (China Standard Time), a People’s Liberation Army – Navy J-11 fighter pilot performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, which was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China...

https://news.usni.org/2022/12/30/chinese-navy-fighter-flew-within-20-feet-of-u-s-air-force-plane-over-south-china-sea

14 Russian Warships Enter Sea of Japan Ahead of Major Military Exercises

Japanese MoD Images

A group of 14 Russian Navy ships transited through La Pérouse Strait from the Western Pacific Ocean into the Sea of Japan ahead of Russian military drills scheduled to start next week, the Japan Ministry of Defense said on Monday.

On Saturday, four Russian ships were sighted sailing westwards in an area 161 miles east-northeast of La Pérouse Strait. The release form the MoD identified the ship as destroyer RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (543) and corvettes RFS Gremyashchiy (337),...

https://news.usni.org/2022/08/23/14-russian-warships-enter-sea-of-japan-ahead-of-major-military-exercises

VESSEL REVIEW | Zhenhai Liu Hao – New Chinese-built jackup boasts 10,000 metres maximum drilling depth

China Oilfield Services (COSL), a company under the Sinoocean Group, has taken delivery of a new jackup offshore drilling rig from local shipyard Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy I ..

The post VESSEL REVIEW | Zhenhai Liu Hao – New Chinese-built jackup boasts 10,000 metres maximum drilling depth appeared first...

https://www.bairdmaritime.com/work-boat-world/offshore-world/offshore-extraction-and-processing/offshore-drilling/vessel-review-zhenhai-liu-hao-new-chinese-built-jackup-boasts-10000-metres-maximum-drilling-depth/

Japanese Defense Minister: China, Taiwan Military Balance Shifting in Beijing’s Favor

Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning (16) refuels underway during a December 2021 deployment. PLAN Photo

The military balance between China and Taiwan is shifting in China’s favor, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Friday.

Speaking at his regular press conference at the Ministry of Defense, Kishi said the security environment around Japan is becoming severe at an unprecedented speed, as Japan released its annual defense white paper the same day, highlighting the threats posed to Japan by...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/22/japanese-defense-minister-china-taiwan-military-balance-shifting-in-beijings-favor

Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group Now in South China Sea

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) steams through the Balabec Strait and into the South China Sea on July 12, 2022. US Navy Photo

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is now operating in the South China Sea, according to a 7th Fleet release on Wednesday.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-77) began operating in the South China Sea around the same time USS Benefold (DDG-65) made a Freedom of Operation navigation around islands in the body of water, drawing ire from Beijing, USNI News reported.

The strike group will...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/13/ronald-reagan-carrier-strike-group-now-in-south-china-sea

Chinese Navy, Air Force Active Near Senkaku Islands, Says Japanese MoD

Russian and Chinese ships have operated near the Senkaku Islands. Japanese MoD Image

Chinese operations near the Senkaku Islands are becoming more frequent as overall Chinese and Russian forces have been more active in the Western Pacific, Japanese officials said on Tuesday.

Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Japanese forces will deal with any attempts by China to change the status quo of the Senkaku islands resolutely and calmly.

The Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu by China and Diaoyutai by...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/05/chinese-navy-air-force-active-near-senkaku-islands-says-japanese-mod

People’s Liberation Army Navy Ships Complete Circle Around Japan

Chinese ships operating near Japan on June 24, 2022. Japanese MoD Image

A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) surface group entered the East China Sea on Wednesday, according to a Thursday Japan Defense Ministry release. The surface group completed a near circuit of Japan since they were sighted in the Tsushima Strait on June 12.

On Wednesday at 11 p.m., three PLAN ships were sighted sailing northwest in an area 130 kilometers northeast of Miyako Island, according to the release. Hull numbers...

https://news.usni.org/2022/07/01/peoples-liberation-army-navy-ships-complete-circle-around-japan

Chinese, Russian Warships Continue to Circle Japan, Defense Minister Says

Chinese ships operating near Japan on June 24, 2022. Japanese MoD Image

An uptick in Russian and Chinese warship movements near Japan are a part of an ongoing military demonstration toward Tokyo, Japan’s Defense Minister Nobou Kishi said this week.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy and the Russian Pacific fleet have, since mid-June, sent two separate surface action groups around the Japanese home islands.

“The fact that about 10 Russian and Chinese ships sail around Japan on the same route in a...

https://news.usni.org/2022/06/24/chinese-russian-warships-continue-to-circle-japan-defense-minister-says

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