FONOPS

Philippines Reverses Course and Commits to U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila, July 29, 2021. DoD Photo

MANILA – The Duterte administration has re-committed to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) basing deal that would let U.S. forces operate from the Philippines after a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The decision to take back its pending notice with the U.S. government scuttling the security agreement was announced by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana during a...

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/30/philippines-reverses-course-and-commits-to-u-s-visiting-forces-agreement

Philippines Considering Addendum to U.S. Visiting Forces Agreement

USS Wasp (LHD-1) makes a port visit to Subic Bay, the Philippines in support of Exercise Balikatan 2019 on April 1, 2019. US Navy Photo

MANILA — The U.S. and the Philippines are set to reinforce a contentious agreement allowing U.S. troops to operate from the island nation as tensions with China remain high, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said during a pre-State of the Nation Address forum on Wednesday.

The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) will likely be a major topic of...

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/21/philippines-considering-addendum-to-u-s-visiting-forces-agreement

Philippines Again Pauses Withdrawal From Visiting U.S. Forces Agreement

An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 flies over the landscape during exercise KAMANDAG 3 near Subic Bay, Philippines, Oct. 12, 2019. US Marine Corps Photo

For a second time, the Philippine government has paused plans to terminate part of its Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S.

After meeting with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the country’s secretary of foreign affairs in a video posted to Twitter on Monday announced the government’s decision to halt plans to...

https://news.usni.org/2021/06/14/philippines-again-pauses-withdrawal-from-visiting-u-s-forces-agreement

Destroyer USS Russell Performs South China Sea FONOP

The guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) conducts routine underway operations. Russell is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. Navy Photo

A U.S. guided-missile destroyer performed a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea on Wednesday, U.S. 7th Fleet announced.

Destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59) sailed near the Spratly Islands, 7th Fleet said in a news release.

“This freedom of navigation operation (‘FONOP’)...

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/17/destroyer-uss-russell-performs-south-china-sea-fonop

Panel: Pace of Navy Freedom of Navigation Operations Stressing Force

USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114) steams near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on July 14, 2020. US Navy Photo

Freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea puts stress on the fleet when the Navy could use that time more effectively “to train up for high-end conflict,” a national security expert who served in the Trump administration said Friday.

Speaking at a Center for Strategic and International Studies Forum, Elbridge Colby, former deputy assistant secretary for strategy and...

https://news.usni.org/2020/10/09/panel-pace-of-navy-freedom-of-navigation-operations-stressing-force

Philippines Freezes Pull-Out From Visiting U.S. Forces Agreement

USS Wasp (LHD-1) makes a port visit to Subic Bay, the Philippines in support of Exercise Balikatan 2019 on April 1, 2019. US Navy Photo

The Philippine government is putting the brakes on its plan to end a critical aspect of its Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S., but experts say it is too soon to tell whether this decision signals a warming relationship between the two allies.

On June 1, the government of the Philippines notified the U.S. Embassy in Manila that it froze a February decision to...

https://news.usni.org/2020/06/08/philippines-freezes-pull-out-from-visiting-u-s-forces-agreement

New Air Bases, Baby Cabbage Key to Chinese Long-Term Claims on South China Sea

March 27, 2020 image of a Chinese Installation on Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea. CSIS Image

China is tightening its grip on disputed claims in the South China Sea by beefing up its military capability and planting the seeds of long-term habitability on the artificial islands at the core of its regional economic influence strategy.

Last week, Taiwanese officials warned of the threat posed by a Chinese air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to press reports, including an...

https://news.usni.org/2020/06/03/new-air-bases-baby-cabbage-key-to-chinese-long-term-claims-on-south-china-sea

USS Montgomery Conducts First 2020 FONOP in South China Sea

The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) operates in the South China Sea. Navy photo

Over the weekend, Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS-8) conducted a freedom of navigation operation through waters near the Spratly Islands claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam, the Navy said.

Montgomery, an Independence-variant LCS, steamed past the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Saturday, according to a statement released by U.S. 7th Fleet. Montgomery’s FONOP is...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/28/uss-montgomery-conducts-first-2020-fonop-in-south-china-sea

Beijing Irked at Twin U.S. South China Sea FONOPS

USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS-10) sails through the South China Sea on Nov. 18, 2019. US Navy Photo

A pair of U.S. Navy freedom of navigation operations on two consecutive days in the South China Sea this week has irked Chinese officials at a time they are seeking to ease trade tensions with the U.S.

On Thursday, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near the Paracel Islands. On Wednesday, Littoral Combat Ship...

https://news.usni.org/2019/11/22/beijing-irked-at-twin-u-s-south-china-sea-fonops

Destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer Sails Past Fiery Cross, Mischief Reefs in Latest FONOPS

Sailors man the rails aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) as the ship transits along the coast of Valparaiso, Chile during a parade of ships on Nov. 19, 2018. US Navy photo.

A U.S. destroyer conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the Spratly Islands today.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) sailed within 12 nautical miles of both Fiery Cross Reef and Mischief Reef today to challenge excessive maritime claims in the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/08/28/destroyer-uss-wayne-e-meyer-sails-past-fiery-cross-mischief-reefs-in-latest-fonops

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